Janko Jesenský estate collection

Effects of Janko Janka Jesenský

Among the specialised collections of the Bratislava City Museum, the complete set of five separate collections that are closely interconnected have a special status and together represent the effects of Janko Jesenský. These collections were created in 1951–1958 and are directly related to the establishment of the then independent Janko Jesenský Museum. In 1958, the collections and the museum building itself were moved under the management of the BCM. They are halfway between a museum collection and archive effects.

What does the collection document?

• Life and work of the writer: it represents a valuable and exceptionally preserved set comprising the most comprehensive material for the study of the life and literary works of Janko Jesenský.

• Comprehensiveness of the collection: thanks to the close interconnection and inner ties of the five separate sets, the value of the entire collection is exceptional.

Jesenskýs’ Household

In terms of time, these are the objects dating back to the mid-19th century until 1945. Most of them were made in the late 19th and the first decade of the 20th centuries.

What does the collection document?

• Furniture and décor of the interior: complete furniture sets from the Janko Jesenský’s apartment on Somolického ulica n. 2, specifically furniture from his study, living room, double bedroom and dining room.

• Furniture and home accessories: sets of furniture, accent pieces, lamps and home textiles (carpets, curtains, drapes, pillows, tablecloths and blankets).

• Arts and personal culture: paintings, photos, decorative items and personal items.

The Jesenskýs – memorabilia and documents

The collection consists predominantly of paper media and represents a significant set of documents that are related to the personal life of Janko Jesenský. It is framed by the years of birth and death of the writer, i. e. period 1874–1945.

What does the collection document?

• Civil life and work: personal documents, various writings, documents about his studies, identification cards and other documents related primarily to his civilian life and professional work outside his literary career.

• Writer in private: a rich collection of photos that capture the writer in the company of his wife, family members and friends, often in the time of his relax and in informal atmosphere.

• Information in the press: newspaper clippings from the period of Janko Jesenský’s life, which brought information about his personality and literary activities.

Jesenskýs’ correspondance

This specifically focused collection is framed roughly by the period 1890–1945 and is structured according to the surname, or name of the sender’s correspondance

What does the collection document?

• Social and institutional relations: it comprises received correspondance of Janko Jesenský with different personalities, persons and institutions.

• Private family life: the collection also includes personal correspondance between Janko Jesenský and his wife Anna.

Collection of manuscripts of Janko Jesenský

It is a complete collection that covers, in terms of time, the entire period of Jesenský’s literary activity – from his early literary attempts to the last preserved manuscript of a poem. The time span of the collection is roughly determined by the period 1890–1945.

What does the collection document?

• Literary autographs: it consists of Janko Jesenský’s manuscripts in the broad sense of the word, including especially his handwritten transcripts of literary texts, poetry in particular.

• Typewritten works: it comprises period typescript versions of his literary works.

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

Collection of the Jesenskýs’ Library

The collection comprises the personal library of Janko Jesenský, which was preserved in his flat on Somolického ulica during his lifetime. It is an authentic reflection of intelectual interests and reading preferences of the writer. The time span of the collection covers approximately the period 1830–1955.

What does the collection document?

• Fiction in various languages: the first, main part of the library consists of fiction, from classical literary works up to literature considered modern during Janko Jesenský’s lifetime.

• Scholarly literature: the second, equally significant part consists of specific legal and public administration literature that Jesenský used in his work as a lawyer and high-ranking civil servant.

• Family and later prints: to a lesser extent, the collection also includes books belonging to his wife Anna Jesenská, née Bottová, rarely also prints published after Janko Jesenský’s death – later editions of his own works in particular.