Documentation of ÚLUV in the National Museum

The depositories of the National Museum conceal many treasures.It includes a part of documentation of the activity of former Centre for Folk Art Production (ÚLUV), remarkable institution which managed to combine the work of ethnographers and designers with production and business.

Centre for Folk Art Production was founded in 1945 as the public law corporation looking after the folk and fine arts.It continued the successful concept of pre-war Association of the Czechoslovak Werkbund which offered ‚artistic crafts, industrial art, graphics, and subjects for home decorations‘ in their shop Krásná jizba in the centre of Prague.

In the 50s the activites of ÚLUV narrowed mostly to traditional folk art, later resulting in cooperation with ethnographers, designers, production, and sale.The products of ÚLUV, modern and also inspired by the traditions of folk arts, were awarded abroad and at home.The network of production and sale points was placed in former Czechoslovakia.

The products of ÚLUV, distributed by network of shops Krásná jizba, without any doubt affected the perception of home culture of the current older and middle age generation.

After 1989, according to the memories of the contemporaries, the ministry of culture was not interested in maintaining ÚLUV which was under its supervision. The lack of interest was explained by popular sentence which in the 90s justified many things – the market will deal with it. The market managed and the stores Krásná jizba terminated together with ÚLUV on the occasion of unlived seventies. It is worth mentioning that Slovakian ÚĽUV due to different approach of Slovakian state still exists and successfully functions in the administration of the Ministry of Culture.The Minitry of Culture decided to move the materials from the Czech area to the Ethnological Department of the National Museum.