The Graphic Cabinet will present a cycle of pastels by one of the most original artists active in the Czech lands in the last third of the 19th century. Pirner in his *Mythological Misalliances* fuses various influences – the sensuality and eroticism of Mánes, the fairy-tale romanticism of Moritz von Schwind and the decorativism of Hans Makart. The individual paintings of the cycle illustrate the emotional intersections between various fantastic and mythological creatures, and their expression oscillates along the line between naturalism and decadence. The selection from the 12-part cycle is accompanied by varied comparative material, encompassing not only other drawings by Pirner himself, but also works on related subjects by the artistʼs predecessors and contemporaries, such as Josef Mánes, Beneš Knüpfer and Max Švabinský.
Curated by: Markéta Dlábková
