Bratislava City Museum

After the creation of CzechoslovakRepublic the structure of city population underwent changes. Lot of Hungarian or German speaking members of economically powerful class had to leave the country and a new class of local bourgeoisie and intelligence started to form. In spite of generally deep-rooted conservatism its members were interested in modern comforts of sciences and technology, which was closely related to the shaping of their art taste and view on the way of life. Modernity became a symbol of not only higher class but also of middle one of the city population. Progressive ideas of modernity were spread by architects whose constructions started to reshape the face of Bratislava. Beside many public buildings, villas, apartment houses began also the construction of small-scale complexes for broad classes of population. Architects inspired by functionalism designed spacious and light living quarters using technical facilities and respecting the rules of hygiene.

The 1920s and 1930s style of furniture was dominated by two simultaneously existing design movements: art deco, elegant style searching for inspiration in the art of the 18^th century, and the modern one – functionalism, lacking ornamentation and showing the structure and material. Furniture designs promoting practical shapes became a prototype suitable for the mass production, which was using beside wood also glass and steel pipes.

Modern times shortened women’s hair as well as skirts, society started to go out for trips, fashion designers created not only elegant dresses for formal occasions but also clothes appropriate for enjoying leisure time by doing sports. Nevertheless, the bourgeois traditionalistic spirit in terms of social status and conventions remained strong and this fact was reflected in the way of life and in the equipment of households.

The exhibition shows the standard of living of the upper middle class comprising families of doctors, lawyers, senior clerks or secondary school teachers. It is presenting furniture and equipment of a flat (entrance hall, pantry, kitchen, dining room, study, bedroom) within a broad span of two decades. Exhibition space is devoted to the presentation of passing the leisure time within a family or in public. By means of collection items, fine art works, and photographs it will aim to outline the period that is usually referred to as the one of refinement and elegance.

Exhibits belong to the collections of the BratislavaCityMuseum, the City Gallery of Bratislava and to private collections.