Zprávy památkové péče 2018, 78(4):367-380 | DOI: 10.56112/zpp.2018.4.10

The tombstone of Josef Hladík in Měník and Adolf Loos

Kateřina Adamcová

Filozofická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy v Praze

In a small cemetery at the church of St. Wenceslas and St. Stanislav in the village of Měník near Nový Bydžov is a remarkable funerary work from the beginning of the 20th century which recalls one of the pioneers of Czech archeology, the local native Josef Hladík. The tombstone is characterized by an extraordinary wealth of diverse motifs whose meaning extends beyond the usual references to our mortality, the pain of the survivors, and Christian symbolism associated with the afterlife. The main part of the tombstone's decoration consists of items that were uncovered during excavations that were led personally by Josef Hladík. Archaeological finds from the prehistoric period are complemented by motifs referring to the era of antiquity; these include well-known symbols of wisdom and knowledge which can be found on the stele near the relief medallion with the portrait of the deceased. The unusual and multilayered iconography of this funerary work leads us to believe that this work was not intended to be merely a tombstone, but rather a certain sort of monument.
The tombstone is interesting not only in its content, but in its purely formal aspects as well. The attractiveness of the work is mostly due to the artistic stonework that creates a perfect shape illusion that extends beyond the limits of the material. The signature found on the right side of the stele testifies that the tombstone was made in the studio of Adolf Loos the elder in Brno. At the time the tombstone was made, however, this workshop was under the management of the sculptor's widow, Maria Loos. Unfortunately, we still know little about those who would have determined the level of artistic and craftsmanship of this workshop. A survey and comparison of the gravestone in Měník with tombstones from the same period located in the two largest cemeteries in Bohemia (Prague-Olšany) and Moravia (the Central Cemetery in Brno) have at least confirmed the high level of stone sculpture craftsmanship of this author. It also shows that, at least in the case of the Brno cemetery, there are a number of other tombstones that are associated with the Měník tombstone through an identical expression of stone sculpture craftsmanship.
The lack of answers regarding the authorship of the tombstone, both of its overall design and of the actual stonework, eventually led us to reflect on the possible relationship of this work to the work of Adolf Loos the younger, and especially on the relationship of this prominent architect to the gravestone itself.

Keywords: Adolf Loos, Josef Hladík, Měník, tombstone

Published: December 1, 2018  Show citation