Bauer´s villa – Museum and gallery of cubist design | mukolin.cz

This modern cubist villa was built in 1912 – 14, originally for the tenant and later the owner of the manor estate – Adolf Bauer. Josef Gočár who is the author of the project is one of the most significant Czech architects of 20th century.

Both horizontal and vertical building features can be seen at Gočár´s later pieces of work in cubist style. These projects were done at the beginning of 1912 – dům U černé Matky Boží (House at the Black Madonna) in Prague and a spa house in Bohdaneč. On the other hand, concerning the villa in Libodřice, Gočár used block stereometric division which is close to unfinished projects of the school in Chotěboř and the theatre in Jindřichův Hradec from September 1912. The final project of the villa in Libodřice might have been created in autumn the same year. Concerning the design of the villa, cubist forms are not restricted to using only star window framing and sloping form by the main moulding. The interior layout of the villa is more traditional; however, there are also cubist details. The remains of the original equipment are the fireplace, staircase, wooden built-in wardrobe, bookcase, bathroom, central heating boiler and the laundry room. The reconstruction revealed samples of wallpaper which were the source for making replicas and placing them on the original places. 

After the death of Adolf Bauer in 1929 his heirs inherited the villa, in 1939-45 the villa was confiscated as a Jewish property and since 1945 it was the seat of the village administration. After 1948 the house was also used as a local public library. In December 2002 the Organisation of Czech Cubism bought the villa from the council. In 2005–2008 the organisation made the reconstruction according to the plan of Ing. Arch. Michal Sborwitz. Both the exteriors and the interiors were reconstructed in such a way as to imitate the original appearance. Also the property around the villa and surviving rare woody plants were restored. The reconstruction was financially supported by the European Union, state budget of the Czech Republic and the Central Bohemian region.  

Since 28th June 2008 the villa has been open to public as a museum of the architect Josef Gočár ( 1880 – 1945) and a gallery of cubist design. The interiors offer the atmosphere of the early 20th century which was created by using cubist furniture and art and craft masterpieces. On the first floor the visitors can find the exposition dedicated to the history and reconstruction of the villa, Josef Gočár, Czech cubism and also to all sights of modern architecture in the region.

Opening hours
The Bauer´s Villa is closed for technical reasons from 1.1.2018.

Information: www.nck.cz/bauerova-vila