Umeleckoprumyslové Museum v Praze (UPM), CZ
The Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague is the central institution of the Czech Republic intended to keep and preserve for future generations extensive collections of historical and contemporary crafts, applied arts and design in both national and international contexts. The Museum’s principal sphere of activity is to perform basic and applied research in the field of the history of Czech and foreign decorative arts, design, book culture, photography, and clothing design and fashion. The Museum professionally administers and scientifically processes its art collections and publishes the findings of its scientific research work through specialized publications, temporary and long-term exhibitions, and other cultural and educational events. The UPM is an active member of ICOM, notably the Decorative Arts Committee (ICAA, and since 2001 ICAAD) and Textiles Committee.
The museum was founded by the Prague Chamber of Trade and Commerce in 1885. Situated in the very centre of Prague, it is housed in a two-storey building designed by architect Josef Schulz in the Neo-Renaissance style. With regard to the current project, its rich holdings of graphics and glass are particularly noteworthy.
Comprising some 200,000 items, the Collection of Graphic Design and Photography is the largest collection in the museum. The museum boasts one of the richest poster collections in Europe (about 45,000 posters), particularly works by the famous Art Nouveau painter and poster designer Alphonse Mucha.
The museum’s glass collection contains about 20,000 pieces that document the history of glassmaking from Antiquity to the present day, with a prevalence of works of Czech origin. It has a remarkable ensemble of Czech Art Nouveau glass created in Klostermühle (Lötz), Harrachov and Karslbad (Moser), which is complemented by French glass produced by leading glassmakers, such as Gallé, Daum and Argy-Rousseau.
Role in the Partage Plus project: In the course of the project UPM will digitise 600 Art Nouveau prints and posters from Bohemia, Austria, France and Germany. Furthermore, about 400 3D images of Art Nouveau glass objects from Bohemia and Austria will be contributed to Europeana.
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UPM, Logo
