Towns and Islands

In 1989 the essayist, poet and art historian Josefu Kroutvor (1942) availed himself of the opportunity to visit countries and cities that he had previously known mostly from literature. The collection of his travel accounts, comments and essays is definitely closer to the literary rather than journalistic genre of reportage. The distinctive literary texts always reflect his travelling, reading, visits to historical sites, museums or galleries. The author makes a great use of his professional knowledge of the history of art, he writes in an erudite manner that captures reader’s attention and often outlines lesser known historical context. He depicts Europe from a different angle than ordinary travel guides. His visit to a metropolis, town or even a district is always marked by the interconnectedness of adventure arising from new knowledge, the sense of atmosphere and genius loci. The town is a world in itself, like an island surrounded by the sea. However, while towns are the “islands” of civilization, the real islands are the last enclaves of romanticism. The author draws on this contrast when visiting Venice, Vienna, Paris or the island of Sarö always finding some specifically “Czech” elements. These art historical parallels represent a significant contribution to the knowledge about the intersection of Czech and world cultures.