A New Style for a New Republic: Jan Kotěra’s Idea of Representing Czechoslovakia

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In his designs for government institutions, Kotěra did not adhere strictly to the codified canon of modern classicism, nor did he align with the overly decorative concepts of the national style. His vision for representing Czechoslovakia was more nuanced: he sought a synthesis of forms that were both local and universal. He drew inspiration from his appreciation of Italian monuments and the classical canon—evident in his correspondence with Josef Šusta — his lifelong love of folk art, particularly ceramics and embroidery, the Biedermeier ideal of bourgeois comfort, and his admiration for the architectural styles of the Middle Ages, Mannerism, and restrained Baroque. The savings bank in Kolín, mentioned earlier, exemplified this approach. The building featured monumental, rusticated masonry on the ground floor and first floor, arched display windows framed with voussoirs, and a second floor with smooth masonry and distinctive window jambs reminiscent of rural buildings. The wooden gable, adorned with arched carved decoration and wings, echoed the folk architecture of Šumava, western Pilsen, and southern Bohemia. Freiwald’s less symbolic, more accessible decorative approach may have seemed more fitting for such an important municipal institution. Kotěra’s synthesis of diverse traditions and modern architectural principles was grammatically too complex and, thus, difficult to comprehend as a representation of the new state. While architects of the national style sought to impose a simplified, modernized version of folk elements on all social classes—sometimes succeeding under the guise of fashion — Kotěra attempted the opposite: to offer a sophisticated synthesis of artistic and architectural forms traditionally reserved for the elite to the lower classes. This ambitious endeavor, however, was destined to fade.

Jan Kotěra; modern architecture; modern design; architectural pedagogy; furniture design; architectural history; Wagnerschule

JACKSON, L.

31. 12. 2024

Pravý úhel

Hradec Králové

978-80-907128-6-7

Jan Kotěra: Czech Modern Architecture in Context

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