London’s Scala publishing house has released a new publication: 50 Masterpieces of Czech Cubism from the Collections of the Gallery of West Bohemia in Pilsen.

The Gallery of West Bohemia in Pilsen has published its second publication in cooperation with the prestigious Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers in London, which focuses on presenting the collections of the world’s leading galleries and museums. After the GWB had established cooperation with the publishing house in 2019, the first publication in the Director’s Choice edition was published in the same year, presenting the best of the GWB’s depository. The great partnership called for another venture; and so the publication of 50 masterpieces of Czech Cubism from the collections of the West Bohemian Gallery in Pilsen came to life. The book represents one of the best collections of this artistic style in Bohemia from the period between the years 1909 and 1938.

The official launch of the publication took place on Friday, May 20, 2022 in GWB’s exhibition hall Masné krámy. The book was launched under the auspices of Martin Baxa, Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic, and presented by Roman Musil, Director of ZČG; Helena Koenigsmarková, Director of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague and patron of the publication; and Neil Titman, Director of Business Development of Scala Arts & Heritage. Roman Musil edited the book and wrote some of the texts, together with Alena Pomajzlová from the Art History Department at Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University in Brno; Marie Rakušanová from the Institute for Art History at Faculty of Arts, Charles University; and Ivana Skálová, curator of the ZČG.

The collection of Czech cubism at the GWB was founded by the first gallery director, Oldřich Kuba, who was well acquainted with the works of the Czech interwar avant-garde, but also with the art scene of the 1950s and 1960s. He was particularly fascinated by the works of Bohumil Kubišta and Emil Filla; it is thanks to his efforts that the gallery has their most important works in its collections. In addition to Kubišta and Filla, paintings by Václav Špála, Josef Čapek, František Muzika, Jan Zrzavý, and sculptures and reliefs by Otto Gutfreund are represented in the publication.

The book is published in two language versions, Czech and English. It can be purchased at the GWB’s box offices and e-shop, as well as in the Scala distribution network worldwide.