Flowers and windows : the first art exhibitions in Prague in the nineteenth century and the shaping of modern exhibition spaces

The staging of art exhibitions has been a decisive factor in the formation of the modern art scene since the beginning of the 19th century at the latest. The art exhibition served as a space that facilitated regular viewing and discussions of contemporary artistic production. In the Spring of 1832 an art exhibition opened in Prague that provided an alternative to the official academic exhibition held annually since 1821. The show attracted critical opinions both inland and abroad. For this reason, its analysis can provide an insight into early concepts and ideas of an art exhibiting, which can be regarded as a space of contest among the artists and of encounter between the artists and the public, as well as a site of development of modern audiences and their sensitivity.