Václav Špála: Flowers

Although floral still lifes represent the largest segment of Václav Špála's (1885–1946) painted work, they have never before been the subject of a dedicated exhibition. Previous surveys and scholarly literature typically dismissed them as a less interesting area of the artist's oeuvre, without attempting to highlight their distinctive qualities. The context of contemporary art also opens the possibility of reassessing those aspects of Špála's floral still lifes that appeared problematic from a modernist perspective — the variation of a single theme, craftsmanship, and temporality are qualities that today acquire new meanings.

Museum Kampa is preparing an exhibition devoted exclusively to Špála's floral still lifes. The opening takes place on Friday, 13 February 2026, and the exhibition runs until mid-May 2026 in the upper floor of the Sovovy Mills in Prague. Nearly 80 paintings from public and private collections will be presented, featuring a selection of Špála's flowers from the 1920s to the 1940s.

The painter himself evaluated his works: of nearly 800 floral still lifes he painted, he marked only 32 with the highest rating — as "rare" or "primissima". Ten of them will be on view at the exhibition.

The exhibition is held on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of Špála's birth (August 2025) and the 80th anniversary of his death (May 2026); more than twenty years have passed since the artist's last major exhibition at the National Gallery.