Prague recovers sculpture stolen nearly two decades ago
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Sculptor Jaromíra Němcová created a replica of Prameník, a bronze sculpture by Vladimír Kýn, after the original disappeared from a Prague housing estate in 2007.
The Ďáblice neighborhood in Prague 8 had been without the artwork for almost 20 years. Kýn’s family kept the theft secret from the artist to avoid upsetting him, and his son later helped with the reconstruction.
Němcová built the new sculpture using historic photographs and a surviving small model of the original, ensuring the replica matched the 1960s design. The new version weighs over 300 kilograms and is currently on display at the Ládví Cultural Center. The project highlights the broader issue of lost public artworks in Czech cities, and residents of Prague 8 anticipate the return of Prameník will revive a piece of their local artistic heritage.
The sculpture will soon be installed in its original outdoor location.
