Czechoslovak Art [antikvár]

By Dr. Zdenek Wirth: czechoslovak art Introduction. HE CZECHOSLOVAK TERRITORY WITH ITS MOUNTAIN FRONTIERS has been from the earHest times a centre in which have met and crossed the most varied cuhural influences, brought either by peoples looking for new lands on which to settle or by peaceful traders. The picture of a thousand years' develop» ment which we see in short form, compressed in the framework of the various cultural regions, is of very variegated colours. Between the Neolithic Age and the beginnings of the Bronze Age at the dawn of the second thousand years before Christ, there alternated on the territory now occupied by Czechoslovakia a series of art styles dependent on a group of neighbouring European regions (to the south-east, the north and the west). The character of these styles was mainly geometrical; the fragments of sculptural work that have been preserved show a similar character. The Bronze Age brought with it, indeed, new plastic models in metal, but from the point of view of art there remained the old traditional feeling which had been manifested in the decoration of utensils or bronze ornaments or weapons with geometrical designs, whether in straight lines or in hoops and spirals. This ten« dency—varied in the local and time modifications —lasted up to the later period of the Iron Age (VIII century B. C.), when under the indirect influence of archaic Greek civilization via Italy on Central Europe there arose the so-called circle of Latin culture (V century B. C.). The Czechoslo» vak region was now for the first time in contact with classical culture which brought the new manner of artistic expression into this milieu.jThe realist element, the freshness of which was sup» pressed for a time, remained the main motif however, despite all attempts at geometrization. In the later period which developed up to the beginning of the influences of Roman civilization, the Latin style acquired movement and a truly Baroque massivity which was manifested mainly in the plastic expression of ornament on bronze objects, thus sharply recoiling from the quiet line of ceramics which maintained a simple form and coloration in the sense of ancient tradition. The gradual acceptance of Christianity on Czechoslovak territory in the X century signified infinitely more than a mere change of religion, for in those times the Church was not only the announcer of certain religious«moral views but also the exponent of the entire bulk of cultural endeavours. Christianity was a cultural as well as a religious confession of faith, and by its acs ceptance every nation became a member of the European enlightened community. The transition from paganism to Christianity deeply affected therefore the intellectual and material spheres of the existing life of the Czechoslovak people and could not be carried out rapidly and smoothly. Cze= choslovak civilization in the pre-Christian period was of course only barbarian and was consider» ably inferior to the contemporary civilization of Western Europe; it differed from it in its views, aims and needs to such a large extent that, for the purposes of adaptation, the soul of the people required to be entirely transformed and regenerated. This adaptation to Europe was carried out gradually in all spheres of cultural life, in the state and social institutions, in Church organization, in religious-moral thought, and in economic life; as regards art, the transition was completed by about the year 1200. The level of Western Europe