Aleš South Bohemian Gallery, Art museum in Hluboká nad Vltavou, Czech Republic
The Aleš South Bohemian Gallery occupies the former riding school of Hluboká Castle, built in 1845–1847 by Viennese architect Franz Beer during the castle's romantic reconstruction. Architect Jaroslav Findra adapted it for gallery use in 1953–1955. Its halls hold South Bohemian Gothic sculpture, panel paintings and woodcuts, plus Dutch painting from the 16th to 18th centuries.
The building dates to the mid-19th century and was later converted into an art gallery, opening under its current name in 1953 as a public museum. Renovation work in the 1950s created the foundation for the museum as it exists today.
The gallery is named after Mikoláš Aleš, a painter born in South Bohemia, on the 100th anniversary of his birth; the communist regime promoted his work as a symbol of folk art. The first and second halls hold the largest collection of South Bohemian Gothic art, with sculptures, woodcuts and panel paintings from the late 13th century to the first third of the 16th century. The third hall shows Dutch painting of the 16th to 18th centuries, and the former riding hall hosts Czech art of the 20th century and classical concerts.
The gallery and both its branches are open every day throughout the year. A visit can be combined with a tour of Hluboká Castle, a walk through the extensive park and a stop in the town, which offers many sports options.
The gallery's name honours Mikoláš Aleš, a painter born in South Bohemia in 1852; it was founded for the centenary of his birth and began operating in 1953. Its branch in Bechyně is an international museum of ceramics, housed in the castle riding hall.
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