Department of Art History and Esthetics
Art theory disciplines have played a major role in our curriculum since the very foundation of the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in 1885. The first professors of art history were the then most noteworthy Czech esthetician Otakar Hostinský and the plastic art critic Karel B. Mádl. They were succeeded, among others, by the excellent art historians Antonín Matějček, Václav Vilém Štech, Jaromír Pečírka, Václav Nebeský and František Kovárna. One among the principles in artists' education at the contemporary Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design is balancing the intellectual and artistic growth of its students. The school provides space for the reflection and self-reflection on their creativity, which is, by definition, related to the contemplation of other artists' works, both from the contemporary and historical perspectives. Therefore, comprehensive study of the humanities is an indivisible part of our study programs. Education in art history and art theory as well as philosophy and esthetics aims to provide future artists with indispensable knowledge, while developing their ability to take a critical stance and formulate theoretical concepts. The Department of Art History and Esthetics is a place where art theory meets practice. The Department offers a large spectrum of courses representing the evolution of plastic art culture from prehistory up until the present. Approximately a third of these are devoted to art scene events in the last fifty years. In addition to general topics, which are interdisciplinary, instruction also covers the problematic specific to individual art disciplines - fine art, architecture and design.
The Department also provides course in philosophy and esthetics as well as instruction in pedagogical disciplines and art management.
In addition to a six-year Master's program, the Department also arranges individual theoretical training for doctoral candidates in four fields of study: Architecture and Design, Graphics and Visual Communication, Fine and Applied Art and the Curator and Critic of Design and New Media.
Since 2005 the Department has also offered a continuing Master's program in the field of Theory and History of Design and New Media, which is not taught at any other institution in the Czech Republic. The two-year program is geared towards graduates from Bachelor's programs in art history or related disciplines.
Our instruction's initial premise is the belief that the synergy generated during common professional training will benefit future artists, critics and curators of contemporary art on the one hand, and the educational institution itself on the other.
Department Chair
prof. PhDr. et PaedDr. Jindřich Vybíral, CSc.
tel.: +420 251 098 261
e-mail: \n
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Members of the Department
Mgr. Karel Císař, Ph.D.
Mgr. Lada Hubatová-Vacková, Ph.D.
PhDr. Kaliopi Chamonikolasová, Ph.D.
Mgr. Ondřej Chrobák
PhDr. Pavla Pečinková, CSc.
Mgr. Cyril Říha, Ph.D.
Mgr. Zuzana Štefková
