Schools – National Myth

The National Revival was a period of language formation, tradition-building, and the search for a nation's own history – a time of rediscovering forgotten heroes and national myths. Visual artists embodied these ideas primarily through historical painting and monumental sculpture. The programme focuses on the visual strategies they employed: the role of facial expressions, depicted objects, light, and bodily postures – and whether contemporary heroes use similar tactics today.

The programme includes group activities and discussions about the exhibited works. Participants reflect on the image as a tool of communication, its expressive means, and the role of visual communication in shaping public opinion. The programme also critically examines the phenomenon of mythologizing and instrumentalizing 19th-century history.

The programme relates to works by these artists: Josef Václav Myslbek, Emil Lauffer, František Ženíšek, Antonín Lhota, Josef Vojtěch Hellich.

Target group: secondary and university students / Duration: 90–120 minutes / Price: 100 CZK / 12–30 people, 2 teachers free