Janko Jesenský estate collection

A unique group of five closely interconnected collections forms the Janko Jesenský Estate. Created between 1951 and 1958, the collections are closely linked to the former Janko Jesenský Museum and have been administered by the MMB since 1958. They combine the character of a museum collection and an archival estate.

What does the collection document?

• The writer’s life and work: it represents an exceptionally well-preserved and valuable collection that constitutes the most comprehensive material for studying the life and literary work of Janko Jesenský.

• Comprehensiveness of the collection: thanks to the close interconnection and internal coherence of the five subcollections, the value of the entire collection is exceptional.

The Jesenský Household

Chronologically, the collection includes items dating from the mid-19th century to 1945. Most of them date from the late 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century.

What does the collection document?

• Interior furnishings: The complete interior furnishings of Janko Jesenský’s apartment at 2 Somolického Street, specifically the furnishings of his study, living room, master bedroom, and dining room.

• Furniture and home accessories: furniture sets, individual pieces, lighting fixtures, and home textiles (rugs, curtains, drapes, pillows, tablecloths, and bedspreads).

• Art and personal culture: paintings, photographs, decorative objects, and personal items.

The Jesenský Collection – Memorabilia and Documents

The collection consists mainly of paper documents and represents a significant body of material relating to the personal life of Jan Jesenský. It spans the years of the writer’s birth and death (1874–1945).

What does the collection document?

• His personal life and work: personal documents, various written records, academic documents, identity cards and other documents relating primarily to his personal life and professional activities outside his literary career.

• The writer in private: a rich collection of photographs depicting the writer in the company of his wife, family members and friends, often in moments of relaxation and in an informal atmosphere.

• Press reports: newspaper cuttings from the period of Janek Jesenský’s life, providing information about his personality and literary activities.

The Jesenský Correspondence

This highly specialised collection covers the period from approximately 1890 to 1945 and is organised by the surname or name of the sender of the correspondence.

What does the collection document?

• Social and institutional links: it contains correspondence received by J. Jesenský from various public figures, individuals and institutions.

• Private family life: the collection also includes J. Jesenský’s personal correspondence with his wife Anna.

The Janko Jesenský Manuscripts

This is a comprehensive collection spanning the entire period of Jesenský’s literary career – from his early literary attempts to the last surviving manuscript of a poem. The collection covers the period from approximately 1890 to 1945.

What does the collection document?

• Literary autographs: the collection consists of Janek Jesenský’s manuscripts in the broadest sense of the word, comprising mainly his handwritten transcriptions of literary texts, particularly poetry.

• Typescripts of works: it contains contemporary typescript versions of his literary works.

• Creative process and everyday life: the collection includes personal notes made on various occasions, which document the author’s creative process and his everyday life.

The Jesenský Library

The collection comprises the personal library of Jan Jesenský, which was kept in his flat on Somolického Street during his lifetime. It provides an authentic insight into the writer’s intellectual interests and reading preferences. The collection spans the period from approximately 1830 to 1955.

What does the collection document?

• Fiction in various languages: the first main section of the library consists of literary works, ranging from classical literature to modern literature from the period of Janko Jesenský’s life.

• Specialist literature: the second, equally significant section comprises specialist legal and public administration literature, which Jesenský used in his work as a lawyer and senior civil servant.

• Family and posthumous publications: to a lesser extent, the collection also includes books belonging to his wife, Anna Jesenská (née Bottová), and, on rare occasions, publications issued after Janko Jesenský’s death – particularly later editions of his own works.