Tomáš Winter
With Prazdroj to Africa. Emil Holub's Journeys Between Reality and Myth
Dr. Emil Holub (1847-1902) was one of the most popular Czech travellers. In his lifetime, he consistently worked on the presentation of the successes of his travels, combined with self-presentation of his own person. He wrote scientific as well as popular science texts, organised public lecture tours and spectacular exhibitions. He did not lose his popularity even after his death, as evidenced by the various literary accounts of his life. In addition, he has been the subject of a film, a song and a commercial. The present paper pays detailed critical attention to the latter - an advertisement for the Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery. It uses its interpretation to show one of the ways in which myths are created instead of presenting the reality of Holub's travels. In this context, the text also examines Holub's relationship to colonialism and his presentation of South Africa as an "exotic" place.
Keywords: travel presentation - popular culture - advertising - Plzeňský Prazdroj - myths about travel - colonialism
design by Bedřich Vémola
