Early Klimt
Before the gilded manner he is known for, and surprising to find in a small Czech town.
I would appreciate being notified if you use my work outside Wikimedia. More of my work can be found in my personal gallery. — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan — CC BY-SA 2.0
A theatre of 1886 in central Karlovy Vary, built in the neo-Renaissance manner at the height of the town's flourishing as a spa for the European elite. What distinguishes it is the stage curtain: it was executed by the studio of the Klimt brothers — one of them Gustav Klimt, who later became among the best-known painters of Austrian modernism — working with Franz Matsch. This is early work of his, before he developed the gilded manner he is known for, and finding it in a small Czech town is a surprise. The building was restored in the 1990s and returned to its original state with its ornament and painted ceilings. A practical point: this is a working theatre rather than a museum. Seeing the interior requires either attending a performance or joining a guided tour held at set times. The facade can be seen free from the square. Check the programme and tour times before going.
Before the gilded manner he is known for, and surprising to find in a small Czech town.
Built in 1886 when the town was the European elite's spa destination.
Returned to its original state with its ornament and painted ceilings.
Divadelní náměstí, central Karlovy Vary
The Karlovy Vary MuseumThe mineral city's story in order: the regional museum on the Nová louka bank, i2 minutes walk4.9
The Imperial BathsThe bathing palace built for an emperor: Lázně I (1895), its French-Renaissance 3 minutes walk4.6
The Hot Spring ColonnadeThe city's literally beating heart: the Vřídlo mother-spring hurls its 72-degree3 minutes walk4.5
Peter the Great's LookoutA viewpoint on a rock in the spa woods above Karlovy Vary, carrying a bust of th3 minutes walk4.7
The Castle TowerA stone tower standing directly above the centre of Karlovy Vary, the only survi4 minutes walk4.9By attending a performance or joining a guided tour, held at set times and not daily. Tours are the easier way to see the curtain and ceilings without committing to a full evening. Check tour times before going, since they are limited.
Before Gustav Klimt became an international name he worked with his brother Ernst and Franz Matsch in a studio that executed decoration for theatres and public buildings across the Austro-Hungarian empire. Karlovy Vary was one of their commissions, and this theatre's curtain is from that early work.