Antonín Václavík a studium lidového malířství na skle

The contribution deals with the professional approach of A. Václavík towards the study of folk art, taking glass painting as a reference example. He was among the first ethnographers who focused on this issue. Glass paintings, which represent one of the most significant forms of visual arts of ordinary people, were a topic of one of his essays in 1920's and he would also discuss the issue in his later work. Glass painting was the key issue for him as he tried to define his own theory of folk art and as he tried to conceive two categories of art – active and passive. Vernacular glass paintings were, according to him, an example of the latter, because they cannot be perceived as indigenous display of folk creative activity. An important aspect of A. Václavík's work was that he perceived the phenomenon in question as an integral part of folk culture, which enabled the explanation of its essence and development, as well as particular differentiations. His works included numerous theories that became inspirational sources in terms of today's research.