About the Library

The origins of the library date back to the middle of the 19^th century. It was formed by the gradual unification of the seminar libraries of the Czech and German universities. Donations from private libraries of prominent personalities in the field were an important source of acquisition. Among the most valuable are the libraries of Mons. Josef Lehner and Prof. Josef Cibulka, which form the basis of the library’s historical collection. Later bequests include the libraries of Prof. Mojmír Horyna and Prof. Dalibor Veselý. 

The collection currently contains over 60,000 volumes divided into 9 sub-units. The first of the units is the old prints, a set of about 850 rare publications in the field of art and history of architecture, which is historically the most valuable part of the collection. Another is the Byzantine Library, a large thematic collection of books from the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, mostly in German, French, and Russian. 

Other collections worth mentioning are the estate or parts of the estate of Msgre. Ferdinand Josef Lehner, which consists of the basic literature on medieval art, and Prof. Josef Cibulka, which offers us a cross-section of the field’s history with rare works from the turn of the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Both of these estates are among the most valuable collections in the library and form the basis of the library’s historical collection. The Horyna Library is the bequest of Prof. Mojmír Horyna and contains mainly literature focusing on the Czech and German Baroque. The last legacy is the library of Dalibor Veselý, which consists of about 6000 volumes devoted to the history and theory of art and architecture, philosophy, theology, and history. It is divided into two parts. The books on philosophy, theology, and history are located in the Sporck Palace Library, while the books on the history, theory, and methodology of art and architecture are kept in the departmental Library. 

The library’s collection of journals consists of 190 titles, mostly of European provenance from the 19^th century to the present. The library also has a collection of qualifying theses, i.e., 950 titles of diploma, rigorous, dissertation, and habilitation theses. The last part of the library’s collection is current literature, which includes publications on the history of art and architecture from the end of the 19^th century to the present day. It also consists of a ‘reference library‘ intended for basic orientation in the field. 

For more information about the library and its holdings, please visit the Department of Art History website. 

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