National Gallery in Prague, Collection of Old Masters
Waldstein Riding School

December 12, 2008 - May 3, 2009

The exhibition is held under the auspices of Přemysl Sobotka, President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

The National Gallery in Prague would like to thank the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic for their assistance in making it possible to host the exhibition at the Waldstein Riding School, part of the seat of the Senate.

Author and curator of the exhibition: Andrea Rousová

Architectural design: Jan Roháč

Graphic design: HMS studio

Restoration: Restoration Studio of the National Gallery in Prague, headed by Petr Kuthan

Guided Tours: Jana Klímová, Anna Kubátová

The National Gallery in Prague would like to thank the following institutions for the loan of items on exhibition:

Archbishopric of Olomouc
Premonstratensian Monastery in Nová Říše
Royal Canonry of Premonstratensians at Strahov (Prague)
National Institute for Heritage Preservation (Regional Units in: České Budějovice, Josefov, Olomouc, Telč, Ústí nad Labem)
Moravian Gallery in Brno
National Library of the Czech Republic (Prague)
Prague Castle Administration
Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague
Častolovice Château (Countess Diana Phipps Sternberg)

Partners:

Main Partner NG: UNICREDIT BANK
NG Patron: SYNOT LOTTO a.s.
Main Media Partner: Hospodářské noviny
Parnters: Neternity
Media Partners: Classic FM, ČRo 3 - Vltava, AnoPress, Radio 1

The exhibition dedicated to the subject of dance and the related festivities as reflected in the visual arts is a unique project, such as had not been hitherto ventured worldwide. The periods in question from the late Renaissance until the Baroque and Rococo periods are among the most attractive in terms of the evolution of the motif of dance in the arts, but also in terms of dance as such. The exhibition presents the widest possible variety of visual material, capturing dance in a variety of its types and forms.

One curious aspect of the culture of dance of the 16th - 18th centuries was its polarized reception: preachers and moralizers took a radical stand against dancing, regarding it as a tool of the devil in order to seduce one to sin and vice. The physical proximity of partners engaged in dancing and the lifted skirts of female dancers were the most frequent targets of criticism. On the other hand, physicians considered dancing to be a wholesome pursuit, as it helped to improve general fitness. As for the nobility and the bourgeoisie, the mastery of dancing to perfection was considered a social duty, as those who could not dance were considered nonentities within polite society. For this reason, much attention was paid to dancing in the education of young gentlemen and ladies. This variety of approaches and perspectives on dancing would then be reflected in the fine arts, where the motif of dance received much attention, both in the treatment of biblical themes as well as serving as the allegorical subject matter of genre pictures.

A section dedicated to court dance, related chiefly to festivities such as masquerade balls, dance performances in theater, and so forth, is juxtaposed with dances from the rural countryside, such as are part for instance of village fetes. Apart from the paintings, the exhibition features also musical instruments, costumes, theater props, fans, prints, glass, porcelain, manuals on dancing, as well as other period prints.

This is the very first time that the National Gallery in Prague has prepared such an extensive and varied accompanying program, not only in the form of lectures and arts programs for children and young people, but also featuring a large number of live music and dancing performances which will take place directly in the exhibition venue. Leading ensembles such as Collegium Marianum and Chorea Historica have prepared combined music-and-dance performances exclusively for the exhibition (for more information see the program below). Of particular interest is the visit of eminent French choreographer Béatrice Massin, who fuses elements of Baroque and contemporary dance in a most original manner.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn some historical dances in a space that will be set apart especially for that purpose. In fact, the entire architectural design of the exhibition is in keeping with the theme of dance - in his design, architect Jan Roháč drew inspiration from the graphic notation of Baroque dance.

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue in Czech and English versions, to which a number of scholars in a variety of related fields of study have contributed. In this respect the catalogue is unique, for each exhibition item is thus accompanied by a commentary not only by art historians, but also historians of dance, musicologists, theoreticians of theatre, ethnographers, etc.

The National Gallery has also for the first time produced a DVD, prepared especially for the current exhibition. Foremost choreographers and historians of dance contributed to the venture. The DVD forms part of the Czech version of the catalogue and is also available independently.
Andrea Rousová

Admission fee:

Basic fee: 150 Kč
Reduced: 80 Kč
Family ticket: 200 Kč
Reduced admission after 4 pm

Special offer for visitors:

Upon presentation of a ticket to the exhibition Dances and Festivities of the 16th - 18th Centuries at the front desk of the Schwarzenberg Palace (Hradčanské nám. 2, Prague 1) at any time between December 12, 2008 and March 30, 2009, each visitor will be admitted to the permanent exhibition Baroque in Bohemia free of charge, and from January 6, 2009, also to the related exhibition "Smím prosit"? (May I?) Dances and Festivities in 18th Century Prints.

www.ngprague.cz

Opening hours:
Open daily except Mondays from 10 am - 6 pm

Valdštejnská 3, Praha 1
Transport: tram 12, 18, 20, 22, 23, metro A > Malostranská

Address: Waldstein Riding School, Valdštejnská ul., Praha 1
The exhibition was prepared by the National Gallery in Prague - Collection of Old Masters for the exhibition space of the Waldstein Riding School (part of the seat of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic).

Contact person for the press: Petra Jungwirthová, spokesperson of the National Gallery in Prague
tel.: 222 32 14 59, mob.: 606 166 513 ; e-mail: jungwirthova@ngprague.cz