Rulers of the Czech Lands and Their Wives

An exhibition of wood reliefs by Jarmila Haldová (*1951) presents a unique collection of colored relief images of Czech rulers and their wives – from the Přemyslids through the Luxembourgs, Jagiellons, to the Habsburgs. The artist's complete collection comprises 132 reliefs carved from linden wood, measuring 30 × 50 cm, colored with tempera paints. Jarmila Haldová holds a certificate for setting a Czech record – the most wooden relief images of Czech rulers and their wives. The reliefs are historically accurate and based on period artistic sources. The artist comes from a family of visual artists; in 1975 she moved to Sedloňov in the Orlické Mountains, where she continues to live and work. In addition to the rulers collection, she is also known as an illustrator of fairy tales, painter of botanical subjects, and creator of nativity scenes. An accompanying exhibition catalog (handbook) was published to help visitors navigate the extensive collection of rulers.