Bohemian art history runs from the 9th-century Great Moravian Empire to the Czech Republic of today, with Prague as its constant center. The region’s position between east and west drew Italian, German, and French influences into a distinct local style.
The reign of Charles IV in the 14th century was a turning point. In 1348 he founded Charles University, the first university in central Europe. He began the Charles Bridge across the Vltava and the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral, which was not fully completed until 1929.
The Hussite movement of the 15th century left its mark on Gothic architecture across the Czech lands. Its leader Jan Hus was burned at the stake in Constance in 1415. After the Habsburgs gained control of Bohemia in 1526, Baroque art flourished under Catholic patronage. In 1583 Emperor Rudolph II moved his imperial court from Vienna to Prague, making the city a major center of art and collecting in central Europe.
Prague became one of Europe’s leading centers of Art Nouveau in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Alphonse Mucha designed the decorations of the Lord Mayor’s Hall in the Municipal House and, in 1931, a stained-glass window for St. Vitus Cathedral.
Travelers can trace Gothic, Baroque, and Art Nouveau layers in Prague within a few city blocks. Readers interested in the academic side of the region can turn to Czechoslovakia’s academic legacy and strategies for higher education success in the Czech Republic, while Pre-Columbian art history in Mexico City offers a parallel look at another rich artistic tradition.
