THE SAVARIN PALACE IS REBORN: ART, CULTURE AND MUCHA’S LEGACY
On 24 February 2025, the new museum will open at the Savarin Palace on Na Příkopě Street, which will display 90 original works and 60 reproductions of the Czech artist, Mucha. The works on display include original photographs, drawings, posters and objects related to Freemasonry, offering a complete overview of the artist’s life and career.
The exhibition is curated by Tomoko Sato, an expert curator of modern art, design and photography exhibitions, who has been a curator of the Mucha Foundation since 2007.
This inauguration is a significant event for fans of the Art Nouveau and the work of Alphonse Mucha, offering a new perspective on the artistic heritage of the Czech master.
The Savarin Palace, also known as the Sylva-Taroucca Palace, is a late Baroque building that has undergone meticulous renovation to house the new museum. The transformation of the exhibition spaces was carried out by the internationally renowned architect Eva Jiřičná and her studio AI Design, who combined the historic elegance of the building with modern exhibition requirements. The renovation concerned three historical rooms on the first floor of the building, previously occupied by a casino, restoring them to their former splendor and adapting them to the new museum functions.
The creation of this new exhibition space was made possible thanks to the collaboration between the Mucha Foundation and the Crestyl real estate group, responsible for the renovation of the Savarin Palace. Marcus Mucha, great-grandson of the artist, played a key role in the project, stressing the importance of making his family’s artistic heritage accessible to the public. According to Mucha, the exhibitions organized by the Mucha Foundation attract about half a million visitors annually from all over the world, and the opening of the new museum in Prague represents another step in the enhancement of the work of the Czech master.
It is not, however, the only exhibition of Mucha, but in Prague, in Panskà Street, there is the Mucha Museum since 1998, whose works come mainly from the collection of the former Czech-American tennis player, Ivan Lendl.
In fact, the opening of the new Mucha Museum raises some questions regarding the coexistence with the current Mucha Museum just mentioned. However, the Mucha Foundation stated that it had terminated in 2024 the contract which allowed this museum to use the artist’s name, raising questions about the future name and management of the two institutions.
A further point of discussion concerns the possible permanent placement of the “Slav Epic” in the Savarin Palace. The city of Prague is negotiating with the Crestyl group to exhibit this monumental cycle as part of the Savarin project, with the aim of inaugurating the exhibition of the work by 2028, on the occasion of the centenary of its completion. The possible exhibition of the work is a focal point of the project of redevelopment and cultural enhancement of this city. The “Slav Epic” is a monumental work by Alphonse Mucha, consisting of 20 gigantic panels painted between 1910 and 1928. This cycle of paintings is a tribute to the history and common roots of the Slavic peoples, designed to celebrate their cultural unity and identity.
Despite the potential of this proposal, the project faces significant challenges, both legal and logistical. Legally, Jarmila Mucha Plocková, the artist’s niece, opposed the idea by filing a lawsuit. The specific details of his appeal have not been disclosed, but could relate to compliance with Mucha’s wishes or issues related to preservation of the work.
The logistical difficulties, on the other hand, are closely linked to the extraordinary size of the panels and their conservation requirements. Each piece requires careful transport and preparation, as well as specific environmental conditions to ensure its long-term preservation.
Despite these obstacles, the project’s realisation would have a huge cultural and symbolic impact. The “Slavic Epic” would become a central attraction of the museum if it was placed in the Savarin Palace, reinforcing Prague’s role as custodian of Mucha’s artistic heritage. This project is not only a tribute to the genius of the artist, but also an opportunity to celebrate the culture and history of the Slavic peoples in a space that combines tradition and modernity.
The opening of the new Mucha Museum in the Savarin Palace is an important addition to the cultural landscape of Prague, offering visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the artistic universe of Alphonse Mucha in a renewed historical context. Despite the challenges and issues still open, this project testifies to the continuous commitment in the valorization and dissemination of the legacy of one of the most influential artists of Art Nouveau.
Sources: https://www.archiweb.cz/en/ , https://www.camic.cz/it/
