Vojtěch Hynais memorial plaque

The Vojtěch Hynais memorial plaque commemorates one of the best-known Czech painters of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the man behind the famous curtain of Prague's National Theatre. It is mounted on a house at Ostrovní 2 in the New Town, the building where the artist lived and died.

Where exactly is the plaque?

The plaque sits on the building registered under conscription number 2058, at Ostrovní 2 in Prague 1 — close to the Masarykovo nábřeží embankment, just a few hundred metres from the National Theatre itself, the building whose curtain Hynais designed. It's an easy stop to fold into a walk through the New Town or a visit to the theatre.

What does the inscription say?

The Czech text reads: "Zde žil a zemřel slavný český malíř Vojtěch Hynais tvůrce opony Národního divadla. Svému čestnému předsedovi Jednota umělců výtvar. v Praze." Loosely translated, it states that the famous Czech painter Vojtěch Hynais, creator of the National Theatre curtain, lived and died here, and that the plaque was placed by the Union of Fine Artists in Prague in honour of its honorary chairman. The professional artists' association Hynais once led was, in other words, the plaque's sponsor.

Who made the plaque, and when was it unveiled?

The plaque was created by sculptor Jakub Obrovský and unveiled on 25 September 1933, eight years after the painter's death. The composition pairs a travertine plate with a bronze bust of Hynais set above the inscribed text — a combination of materials that sets it apart from the plainer, purely lettered memorial plaques found elsewhere in the city.

Why is the plaque located here specifically?

The house at Ostrovní 2 was Vojtěch Hynais's last home — he spent his final years there and died in the building. Its proximity to the National Theatre is no coincidence: that stage is where the artist's best-known work hangs, the large curtain he designed for the theatre after it was rebuilt following the fire.

Who was Vojtěch Hynais?

Vojtěch Hynais (1854–1925) was one of the leading Czech painters of his generation, working in a style rooted in academic realism with Art Nouveau influences. He is remembered above all for designing the main curtain of Prague's National Theatre, a work that still stands as one of the theatre's signature features. Later in life he served as honorary chairman of the Union of Fine Artists in Prague, the organisation that later commissioned this memorial plaque.

What should visitors know before stopping by?

The plaque isn't a destination on its own, but it fits naturally into a route linking the National Theatre with the Vltava embankment and the New Town. It's worth a brief pause after visiting the theatre to see where the creator of its signature curtain actually lived — a small but concrete trace of the artist's biography built into Prague's streetscape.

Frequently asked questions

Who does the plaque at Ostrovní 2 commemorate? Vojtěch Hynais (1854–1925), the Czech painter who designed the National Theatre curtain and who lived and died in this house.

Where exactly is the plaque located? On the building registered as conscription number 2058, at Ostrovní 2 in Prague 1, near the National Theatre and the Masarykovo nábřeží embankment.

Who created the plaque? Sculptor Jakub Obrovský.

When was the plaque unveiled? On 25 September 1933.

What is the plaque made of? A travertine plate with a bronze bust of the painter mounted above the text.

What is Vojtěch Hynais's most famous work? The main curtain of Prague's National Theatre.