Curtain of National Theatre

An empty frame in a second floor room in Chateau Liteň reminds us of the forever lost first design of the National Theater curtain. It was created and installed directly in Liteň by the painter František Ženíšek (1849- 1916).

In the center of the curtain , known nowadays only from photographs, the symbol of the genius of arts was hanging with a laurel wreath of glory in the right hand and a palm branch in the left, accompanied by the figures of Music and Drama. The scene under the curtain allegorically depicted Prague, the Vltava and the construction of the theatre as a temple of culture. „Ženíšek’s design in the truly most simple and suitable way chose as its subject the allegory of finishing the National Theatre shown as a noble woman accompanied by Music, Comedy and a boy who announces by joyful fanfares the memorable event, arms triumphantly holding up a laurel wreath and a palm branch, hovering above the blush of dawn,“ the Světozor magazine praised the work.

When the first construction of the National Theatre burned down in 1881, the curtain was destroyed as well. Ženíšek did not take part in the new competition, and the work was commissioned to Vojtěch Hynais.

Surprisingly enough, the draft survived World War II in Liteň, expropriation by the Communists as well as the stay of trades students of smithery and bricklaying who used the chateau as their dormitory. This extraordinarily precious work was lost only later during preservation work in the 1990s.  With scaffolding surrounding the building, thieves broke in and cut out the painting  leaving behind just the empty frame.