Marek Krejčí
Folklorism and Commercialization of Folk Culture
The second half of the 19th century brought new commercial opportunities for folk products as the result of increased interest in traditional folk culture. This process impoverished the countryside, since its representatives did not realize the value of these products for a long time and partook in unbalanced exchanges, leaving agents and resellers to make most of the profit. Local collectors found it harder to participate because of a lack of capital. Several pieces were then exported and became a part of foreign collections. Interest in folklore also grew on the contemporary art scene. Joža Uprk is an example of an artist, who modified his work to cater to the interest of his audience. His colourful folk costume figures are an expression of the soul of the Slovak region and foreign art lovers paid them much attention. The collector’s interest directly corresponded to the activities of forgers, of Holič ceramics as well as Uprk's paintings. For the latter, expert ethnographic appraisals were used to uncover the forgeries.
design by Bedřich Vémola
