Photographs of the Descendants of Bedřich Smetana and Kateřina Smetanová, née Kolářová, in the Collection of the Bedřich Smetana Museum

Abstract

The article summarises the results of research so far conducted and of the expert processing of photographs in the collection of iconography at the Bedřich Smetana Museum. It deals with photographs of the descendants of Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884) from his first marriage to Kateřina Kolářová (1827–1859). This involves likenesses of Kateřina Kolářová, her children, and her grandchildren. Not included are persons who married into the family, nor are likenesses of Bedřich Smetana himself covered. The survey is based on research of records in the acquisition and inventory records of the Bedřich Smetana Museum from 1931 to 2020 and on research of the original inventory of exhibits at the B. Smetana Memorial in Jabkenice. Relationships between family members are shown by simple genealogy tables. In many cases, comparisons of photographs have enable the recognition of previously unidentified persons and the specifying of dating, provenience, and locations of photographic studios. The article largely focuses on collections of photographs from the family along the line of descent from Žofie Schwarzová, Bedřich Smetana’s daughter from the most recent acquisition (2019–2020).