Databáze uměleckých výstav v českých zemích 1820 – 1950

The Czech public first encountered Jaroslav Věšín several years before the opening of Galerie Ruch. From 1883 onward, he sent his artworks to the annual exhibition of Krasoumná jednota (Fine Art Association), which, at that time, was still housed in the Žofín Palace. Miroslav Tyrš, a Czech art critic, who paid Věšín the most attention, pointed out that “our youthful compatriot Jaroslav Věšín... already holds an outstanding position among Czech genre painters” [Tyrš 1887, p. 2]. However, the collection of Věšín’s paintings that appeared in Galerie Ruch in the first half of 1887 was the most comprehensive to date.

The exhibition of Věšín’s works was part of the permanent exhibition in Galerie Ruch from mid-March 1887. According to the catalogue, there were initially five of his works in the gallery:, a large oil painting At the Ferry (Landscape in the Váh Region) under no. 3 and smaller works Unknown Vis- à-vis under no. 6, Flying Stork under no. 9, Poor Retriever under no. 11, and Don’t Be Angry, Štefko! under no. 12.

From the beginning of his career, Věšín was praised for his choice of subjects, inspired primarily by the village life in Slovakia. The works presented in Galerie Ruch belonged to this category. The public and the press were the most interested in the large canvas At the Ferry, installed on the front wall in the main room. Although the painting was generally considered a success, with critics especially appreciating its composition, some voiced minor criticism. For example, Karel Boromejský Mádl remarked that “despite some flaws and shortcomings in the drawing, despite the unpleasantly wobbly perspective, Věšín's talent appeared in the best light” [Mádl 1887, p. 156].

Less than a month after placing the first five works in Galerie Ruch, Wiesner added more paintings by Věšín to the show, namely Mother’s Joy, Fast Mail, and Sudden Change. These included largely small-format paintings, which came to Prague shortly after the end of the annual exhibition in Munich and were easy to install in Galerie Ruch because of their small size. Along with these works, the gallery also received Wedding in Moravian Slovakia (A Ride at the Moravian-Slovak Wedding), Little Hungarian Soldier, What’s Our Village Called Now?, and other paintings. However, their placement required significant intervention in the original permanent exhibition, so the gallery had to close on May 10. Despite the initial enthusiastic response to the painting At the Ferry, another of Věšín’s works, namely the large canvas Wedding in Moravian Slovakia, truly captivated the audience. In their extensive reviews of the exhibition, critics such as Renáta Tyršová and Karel Boromejský Mádl expressed appreciation of the artist’s progress, evident in the difference between the two largest canvases at the exhibition, painted only a few months apart: “I have not concealed my slight dissatisfaction with some parts of At the Ferry, and it is now appropriate for me to acknowledge just as openly that in the Ride, I see the artist growing.” [Mádl 1887, p. 238]

The collection of Věšín’s works was on display in Ruch until July 10, 1887, and after this date, the gallery closed for three days for reinstallation. Věšín’s canvases then travelled to Turčianský Sv. Martin, Slovakia, where they complemented the exhibition of embroideries, folk drawings, paintings, and photographs of costumes and Hodruša lace by various Slovak artists. The collection of 16 paintings showcased in Turčianský Sv. Martin included smaller-format works such as Fast Mail, Witness of Love, What’s Our Village Called Now?, The Beginning of a Novel, Flying Stork, Don’t Be Angry, Štefko, Little Honvéd, Unknown Vis- à-vis, Poor Retriever, Galanton, and Confession of Love, supplemented by two large canvases, At the Ferry and The Moravian-Slovak Wedding. A note from mid-August 1887, published in the daily Národní Listy, shows that the exhibition did not receive the same response in Bohemia as it did in Slovakia: “The Czech public knows these beautiful paintings (though mostly only from reproductions since the exhibition of Věšín’s works in Galerie Ruch did not attract wide attention – unfortunately!), but in Slovakia, they were truly understood.” [M. 1887] 

After the end of the show in Turčianský Sv. Martin, some of the exhibited artworks returned to the permanent exhibition in Galerie Ruch. Together with the Moravian-Slovak Wedding, which was not included in the previous catalogue, they became part of the new permanent exhibition presented from October 1887 on. 

Lucie Česká

Works Cited

M 1887: M., Slovenské svátky, Národní listy XXVII, 1887, no. 221, 13. 8., p. 5

Mádl 1887: Karel B. Mádl, Jaroslav Věšín, Ruch IX, 1887, no. 15, 25. 5., s. 235 a 238

Tyrš 1887: M. Tyrš [Miroslav Tyrš], Výstava žofínská, Národní listy XXIII, 1883, no. 154, 30. 6., pp. 2–3

Further Reading

 Ondřej Chrobák, „Ruch“ ve výtvarném umění v Praze 80. letech 19. století (thesis), Praha 2002

Seznam výstavy děl domácích i cizích mistrů (exh. cat.), Galerie Ruch – Praha 1887

Anonymous author, „Galerie Ruch“, Národní listy XXVII, 1887, no. 73, 15. 3., pp. 2–3

Anonymous author, Galerie „Ruch“, Národní listy XXVII, 1887, no. 80, 22. 3., p. 3

Anonymous author, Umělecké výstavy v Praze, Národní listy XXVII, 1887, no. 90, 1. 4., p. 5

Anonymous author, Galerie Ruch, Zlatá Praha IV, 1886–1887, no. 19, 1. 4., p. 303

Anonymous author, „Galerie Ruch“ v Praze, Evanjelický církevník XVIII, 1887, no. 4, pp. 108–109

Anonymous author, Galerie „Ruch“, Národní listy XXVII, 1887, no. 99, 10. 4., p. 3

Anonymous author, „Galerie Ruch“, Národní listy XXVII, 1887, no. 129, 11. 5., p. 3

Anonymous author, Galerie „Ruchu“, Zlatá Praha IV, 1886–1887, no. 25, 13. 5., p. 399

Anonymous author, Galerie „Ruch“, Národní listy XXVII, 1887, no. 133, 15. 5., p. 3

Anonymous author, „Galerie Ruch“, Národní listy XXVII, 1887, no. 180, 3. 7., p. 3

Anonymous author, Zlatá Praha IV, 1886–1887, no. 33, 8. 7., p. 528

Anonymous author, „Galerie Ruch“, Národní listy XXVII, 1887, no. 187, 10. 7., p. 3

Anonymous author, Výstava obrazů Jaroslava Věšína v Turno. Sv. Martině, Ruch IX, 1887, no. 20, 15. 7., p. 308

Anonymous author, Předjíždění o slovenské svatbě, Ruch IX, 1887, no. 29, 15. 10., s, 428

Anonymous author, Na přívoze, Ruch X, 1888, no. 1, 5. 1., p. 4