Female Voices in Art: Hana Seifertová, née Korecká, Czech Art Historian, Curator and former Museum Director

Hana Seifertová, née Korecká (b. 1934, Tabor, Czech Republic), is a Czech art historian, curator and former museum director. After graduating from Prague's Charles University in 1958, specialising in Old Master painting, particularly still life, Hana became the director of the Oblastni Gallery in Liberec at a young age, turning it among other activities into a centre for non-conformist contemporary art. A courageous opponent of the communist regime, she was dismissed for political reasons in 1970 and moved with her family - daughter Barbora (1962-2024) and husband Jiri Seifert (1932-1999), an eminent Czech sculptor - to Řevnice near Prague. From 1971 until her retirement in 2012, she worked as curator and head of the Collection of Old European Art at the National Gallery in Prague as curator and director, producing a rich portfolio of publications and exhibitions, mainly in the field of Dutch, Flemish, German and Czech Baroque. An inspiring mentor and enthusiastic researcher and colleague, she has left an indelible mark on the world of art history and curating.

Could you tell us something about your role in the art world?

I consider it my great fortune and privilege to have been able to build bridges to Western countries, especially Germany and the Netherlands, even during the time of the Iron Curtain. Through publications, exhibitions and research projects, I was able to act as a mediator for Czech cultural and art history. I am glad that the borders of the past have now disappeared and that the younger generation is so well and efficiently connected thanks to networks such as CODART.

What did you enjoy about being a part of this project?

The photo session, which took place during my 90th birthday celebrations at the National Gallery in Prague, came as a surprise to me, as did the festivities and the publication dedicated to me on the occasion. It is a great honour for me to see my photo among so many remarkable colleagues.

Do you have a favourite artist?

If I had to choose: Carel Fabritius (1622-1654), even though we only know very few of his paintings. I am particularly fond of his Goldfinch in the Mauritshuis in The Hague. Incidentally, the Bohemian painter Johann Adalbert Angermeyer (1674-1740), whose catalogue raisonné I wrote after my retirement, made a very similar painting of a linnet on a perch in 1726 (Private Collection).

What is your earliest memory involving art?

In my parental home in Tábor, everything revolved around music, the fine arts played no role; my father Karel Korecký was a violin soloist and teacher. He also taught at Bechynĕ Castle, owned by the Counts of Paar. As a playmate of their children, I spent many wonderful days at the castle. I still remember being fascinated by a Portrait of a Lady by Angelika Kauffman that hung on the walls. However, it was actually my uncle Miroslav Korecký who introduced me to art. He was an architect and recommended that I study art history. My first seminar with Prof Jan Kvĕt – which was held bilingually in Czech and French - was dedicated to miniatures. In my first seminar paper, I dealt with the Water Castle Švihov ... famous from the Czech Cinderella film.

Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world?

Personally, I never really saw a difference between men and women in the art world and their roles, and I was also given leading positions early on. The fact that women had to work in the communist era was a certain factor.

What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it?

As mentioned, the photo was completely unplanned and I'm actually wearing something quite every day and comfortable for my age.

What are you currently working on?

Unfortunately, due to my age, I no longer have enough energy for projects. But I still enjoy hearing and reading about new research and exhibitions. The fact that I was able to contribute to the catalogue of Judith Mann's exhibition Painting on Stone at the Saint Louis Art Museum in 2020 - a subject I have been working on for many years - was a nice way to end my career.

Could you mention a project, an institution that, or a person who has been important or inspiring for your career and why?

Despite his communist leanings, I must mention Professor Jaromír Neumann and his seminars and lectures on Bohemian Baroque. When we visited the National Gallery as students, each of us had to choose a painting and give a lecture on it: I chose Jerome by Jusepe de Ribera. My dissertation on Baroque still life in Bohemia, supervised by Professor Neumann, also had a lasting influence on my future research career.