Vladimír Preclík Gallery

54 artworks were bequested to Hradec Králové Region in 2008 by Vladimír Preclík, who personally selected a retrospective presentation of his art from 1950s and 1960s to his late period. Preclík was a very versatile artist indeed, as the collection includes sculptures from stone, metal and wood, paintings, prints and designs for monuments. Also included are portraits of Vladimír Preclík, taken by leading Czech artists (Jiří Kolář, Adolf Hoffmeister et al.). The collection is large enough to make a separate permanent exhibition on the first floor. The exhibition space is called Vladimír Preclík Gallery.

Regional Authority of the Hradec Králové Region was the building that originally housed the collection under auspices of the Rotary Club Hradec Králové. In 2016, the collection was moved to the GMU building. A board with design drawings along with three giant-size models ( A Little Bit of a Temple I-II, World War II Resistance Movement Monument) still remain in the original location.

(*1929 Hradec Králové – †2008 Prague) was a major Czech modern artist. In 1943, he began his apprenticeship as a wood carver and goldsmith. In 1946 he began studies in School of Sculpture and Stonemasonry in Hořice. After that, he went to university as he got accepted to Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, where he was a pupil of Josef Wagner.

Apart from working on open air art pieces, he was also a painter, drawer, writer, and printmaker. He was one of the founders of The Sculpture Symposium of Hořice. Later, he was appointed Professor and Dean of The Faculty of Fine Arts at Brno University of Technology, where he helped many young talented artists to grow.

Hradec Králové is a place where many of Preclík’s works can be seen. Sculpture called Blossom of the Polabí Riverlands is located outside Alessandria Hotel. Outside Klicpera Theatre in the city centre, there is another sculpture called Ancient Drama (1998). The teaching hospital and its new learning centre boasts Portrait of Karel Rokitanský – A Doctor and a Scientist (2005). In 2006, Portrait of St Clement was installed into Holy Spirit Cathedral.