As one of the few, the Town Museum and Gallery Polička can be proud of its precious picture exposition.
There was a gala opening of the permanent expositions of the gallery in 1994 in the newly reconstructed baroque town hall. This building with two floors is situated in the middle of the square and it belongs to the jewels of the baroque architecture. In 2008 it was filed into the National Cultural Monuments.
Gallery expositions are accessible for public accompanied by a pursuivant. Tickets are available in the town hall building, Palackého square.
1. Old art in Polička surrounding - from Gothic to the 19th century
The exposition dates back the developement of art from Gothic to the 19th century. Gothic and Renaissance periods open the whole exposition. The main focus is on the 18th century - the Golden Age of the town. The set of plastures (M. B. Braun, J. Pacák, F. Pacák, and D. Aulíček), pictures, engraving and extant copper plates by M. Rentze are introduced.
A part of the sightseeing tour is the Saint František Xaverský´s baroque council chapel, which pervades the two floors and its unique decor has been kept up to the present days. You can also find a gothic chapel in the tower.
The high quality burgess-portrait of the 19th century is represented by A. Machek, J. Papáček, E. Kašparides and other authors. The sculptural activity at the turning of 19th and 20th century is represented by the selection of a remarkable production by V. E. Šaffa, the native of Polička.
2. Picture Gallery of the Dynasty of Hohenems - from the castle Bystré by Polička
Thanks to the initiativeof the museum, in 1989 this unique Picture Gallery of the Dynasty of Hohenems was centered in Polička, where it was expensively renovated.
In the collection there are portraits, sceneries, allegoric and religious productions. The first Picture of the collection originates in the 16th century. Till 1803 the collection was placed in the family estate of Hohenems in the Western Austria. Then it moved together with the family to the castle in Bystré by Polička. The odest picture of the Hohenems picture gallery is Madona (1530) by the Dutch master Jan Gossaert called Mabuse. The most notable production is dimensional canvas by the Dutch painer Anthoniho Bays Hohenems´ Garden Party (1578), which as a group renaissance portrait is a unique one in the central Europe. There are 54 people - members of the family Hohenems, their relatives, musicians and servants - gathered round the table in the grapevine overgrown arbour in an ideal renaissance garden.
3. Modern art in Polička surrounding - 20th century
The expositon presents productions of the authors who were either born in Polička surrounding, or who worked here and who overpassed the borders of the region by their importance. Painters and graphic designers - V. Šindler, J. Šindler., J.V. Síla, J. Jambor, Fr. Bukáček, Z. Sion; sochaři - J. Kadlec, J. Lichtág, J. Černý, P. Herynek and others. In the gallery the contemporary trends in plastic arts and painting are represented by the production of V. Bromová and M. Janíček.
4. Bohuslav Martinů in plastic arts and painting
The exposition is composed of artists´ responses to the work of music composer. The artists are e.g. K. Svolinský, E. Vlasáková.
