City of Prague Museum Langweils Model of Prague 1826 - 1837 Antonín Langweil (1791 - 1837) The first to open a lithographic workshop in Prague in 1818. In 1822 he obtained the position of library assistant in the University Library at Clementinum. In 1826 he embarked on his old dream of depicting Prague in a model. As his ground plan he used the newly published Jüttner Topographical Map of the city. Langweil displayed his model in progress to the public several times and gained a reputation as an enthusiast eccentric whose work was worth seeing. However he didnt complete the project and died in 1837, at an age of just 49. Thanks to a letter of petition by his widow, the model was bought for the Patriotic Museum in 1840 by Emperor Ferdinand V. Langweils model was first exhibited, posthumously, in 1862 at the Old Town Hall. After WW II it was transferred to the care of the City of Prague Museum. A careful professional restoration of the model was undertaken in 1962 by academicians and painters Jan and Jirzi Bouda. From 1970 inward the restored model was displayed in a large glass case, replaced by a new one made to measure in 1999 keeping this exceptionally valuable exhibit safe in an optimal microclimate.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 10:37:03 +0000