The Secondary School of Arts and Crafts, Sculpture and Stonemasonry in Hořice

A quiet murmur of intense concentration hangs in the air. In this school studio, it is as though time has briefly been frozen, allowing the touches of a future generation of masters to breathe life into stone. After all, many years ago, Michelangelo believed that the sculpture was already present in the stone and the job of the artist was merely to set it free. Every imprint of a palm or carefully guided stroke of a chisel into limestone, marble or spongolite creates original lines, as well as a dialogue between youthful creativity and a centuries-old traditional craft.

The Secondary School of Fine Arts, Geotechnics and Architecture in Hořice is among the Czech Republic's most significant artistic institutions. Sculpture has been taught there even longer than at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, and it has the longest-established programme in Europe at secondary-school level. That tradition, beginning in 1884, developed in connection with the local deposits of high-quality sandstone.

This specialised school, focused on the artistic crafting and industrial processing of stone, has educated many generations of artists as well as specialists in industrial stonework. Today, alongside programmes in sculpture, restoration and applied painting, tuition also extends to fields such as geotechnics, construction and architecture. The institution's uniqueness lies in its emphasis on working with natural materials and preserving traditional techniques, while at the same time interpreting them in contemporary ways. Here students work in an authentic environment where history permeates everyday teaching, and art is born from both stone and time.

Photo:  MgA. Ladislav Jezbera

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