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exhibitions. The cxecution of this plan would enable thc Museum to install its col-lections in the form of smali enclosed units, differing even in their external appearance according to the naturę and style of the individual buildings. This would make it possible to ensure the neccssary concentrations while avoiding the fatigue felt by visitors in museums that are too spacious.

The efforts being madę are not confincd, however, to completing the internal organization of the National Gallery and rcsolving thc problem of premises, so as to make these large collections accessible to thc public and establish conditions suitable for scientific work. The changes that have occurred in our social structurc and life compel us to considcr the National Gallery’s problems and mission from a wider angle than in the past, when its role was often viewed from thc narrow standpoint of specialization. Today, it is gcnerally considered that its task is not only to offer the public a judicious choice of its collections but also to act as an inter-mediary, as it were, betwecn the generał public and new scientific discoveries and conceptions.

Our fundamental aim is the dissemination of artistic culture among all sections of the population, as well as a knowledge of it and an understanding of the laws governing its devclopment. It is certain that this aim cannot be achieved by a central institution, however large and well-organized it may be. The National Gallery has thereforc established a nctwork of secondary museums whose role it is to develop in the province$ a knowledge of and a taste for the plastic arts. It is truć that smali art collections, espccially of paintings, were already in existence in some of the provincial towns, but their activities were not rationally planncd, for most of them, established through private initiative, were closely linked with the lives of their respcctive founders. The new organization is based on these ezisting collections, but thc tendency towards planned operation has led to thc establishment of regional galleries distributed according to the administrative division of the country. This policy has not resulted in the creation of uniform institutionś, for account has been taken in each region of local possibilities. In this way, however, a solid basis has been provided for the systematic activities of thc smali museums, in which specialists will be able to work with a view to the dcvelopment of the plastic arts in their rcspectivc regions and hence to the gradual removal of the disparity which still exists in this field betwecn thc Capital and the provinces.

The positive results of this policy are already to be seen in the numerous art exhibitions which are organized in the provincial towns as well as in the villages. So far, the Aleś Gallery, housed in thc former riding school—specially transformed for that purpose—at the Hluboka Castle in Southern Bohemia (fig. 66\ is the most advanced and the most activc of the new museums. These exhibitions were installed with the help of thc National Gallery, which, far from contenting itsclf with giving advicc, often loaned the basie materiał. The National Gallery in Prague also gave its assistance at the time of the foundation and installation of the Slovak National Gallery in Bratislava (fig. 6/), in 1948.

This Museum, which acts as a central institution in Slovakia,had no long-standing tradition at the timc of its foundation on which to basc its activities. In particular, the collection of materia! to illustrate the artistic development of Slovakia is far from easy; but within the space of a few years, enthusiastic research workers have succeeded in forming complete collections which arc able to satisfy public interest and serve as a basis for scientific research in this field. And the Slovak National Gallery’s importance in the political and cultural life of Slovakia is further enhanced by thc many cxhibitions which it organizes.

(Translałedfrom the C^ecb.)

66. AlSova JikoćeskA Galerie v Hlubokć nad Vltavou. La Galerie Aleś a Hluboka-sur-Vltava. Musec regional dc la Bohćmc du Sud installe dans 1’ancien manegc neo-gothiquo du chatcau de Hluboka. Exposition d’art contem-porain.

66. The AJcś Gallery in Hluboka nad Vltavou. The Southern Bohcmian regional gallery in the nco-Gothic huilding which was once the riding school of Hluboka Castle. Modern Art Exhi-bition.

6/. Slovenska NarodnI Galerie v Bratislavć. L’exposition Les traditions tckląues dans la pein-łitre modernę i la Galerie nationale slovaque de Bratislava.

67. The exhibition on C^ecb fraditions in Modern Painfing, Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava.

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