Painter Jan Zrzavý

A walk through the Lesser Town of Prague together with Open House Prague, where we’ll try to present the complexity of the work and life of the great painter Jan Zrzavý in the broadest possible context.

A shy man, dreamer, or a successful promoter of his own work; these are just some of the characteristics of Jan Zrzavý, one of the most important Czech artists of the 20th century. Did you know that his canvases, along with the pictures of Josef Lada, were among the most frequently reproduced works of the pre-Velvet Revolution period and are now very popular even among forgers? But who was Jan Zrzavý? The walk will follow in the footsteps of Jan Zrzavý through Malá Strana, which was a great inspiration for him and the place where he lived for many years. However, the participants will first stop at Loretánské náměstí, which he loved and often painted. They will head to Nový Svět to his first Prague studio and continue to Jánský vrch and Nové zámecké schody where he lived.

The walk will follow in the footsteps of Jan Zrzavý through Malá Strana, which was a great inspiration for him and the place where he lived for many years. However, the participants will first stop at Loretánské náměstí, which he loved and often painted. They will head to Nový Svět to his first Prague studio and continue to Jánský vrch and Nové zámecké schody where he lived.

But those interested should not expect a celebratory ode to the artist. The walk through Zrzavý’s Lesser Town attempts to present the work and the extraordinarily varied life of this personality comprehensively and in the broadest possible context.

The guide for the walk with commentary is Michal Šedivý.

On the Facebook page of Open House Praha you can watch short video invitation (CZ).

Open House Praha, z. ú. is a non-governmental, non-profit organization whose mission is to arouse public interest in the city, its architecture, and its public space. Through organizing tours of buildings that are usually not accessible, we provide a direct experience with architecture. Throughout the entire year, the organization also plans programs for the general public, including programs for people with disabilities and educational activities for children and young adults.