A Door in Prague by Chipka
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Description
The city of Prague (Praha, as you’d say it in Czech) is a city of wonders. The very name itself translates to “Threshold.” In many ways, it is the quintessential threshold city. I’ve likened Prague to a mad seductress, and indeed, Prague isn’t exactly sane in the commonest sense of the word. Prague is seductive, but this has more to do with the people who live there than any architectural delight you will undoubtedly discover there.
Prague is city of strange doorways. Some are old and worn, half-standing and in ill-repair. Others are plain and featureless. You may walk along a sidewalk, invariably composed of checker-board cobblestones, and look up to see naked men and women carved from stone and holding grapes or harps, weapons, or truly inscrutable objects. You may see the ugliest, most flamboyant vultures to ever grace the face of the earth. For fans of Opera in general and Mozart in particular, you’ll see a green place: a very famous theater. The Estates Theater is an inevitable place to visit. Fans of the film, Amadeus will recognize its voluptuous, blue interior, and quite possibly a bunch of guys, invariably named Honza, Libor, or (gasp!) Pavel, dressed in Mozart-contemporary costumes (complete with cell phones and powdered wigs. One particular guy named Pavel won’t be wearing a powdered wig, but he *might* do something innocently goofy, on the spur of any given moment; you just have to make sure that he doesn’t scare any American or Japanese tourists in the process. If he does, just point and yell: “Look, there’s Prague! This, I have learned, distracts irate tourists and saves a particular guy named Pavel from being yelled at in a language he might [or might not] understand.)
Anyway, Prague is a city of interesting people, and interesting doorways. In wandering through the center of the city, with the aforementioned Pavel (in one of his “creative” moods,) we smoked far too many diminutive Czech cigarettes with the improbable name “Start” emblazoned on the package, and looked for interesting things to photograph. We wandered near the Estates Theater, at which point, Pavel and I started talking about Mozart. In high school, I was a part of the Chicago Christian High School Concert Choir, and one of the few high points of that time in my life was the chance to actually perform a piece by Mozart. I still remember Lacrymosa and I can remember singing it in Latin. I can still sing it...as I did, while passing the Estates Theater. Pavel, not surprisingly, cared little for Mozart, or “that old house” as he called the gorgeous theater that saw the world premier of Don Giovanni.
He was interested, however, in showing me something behind the theater. A doorway—or more precisely, a barrier--blocking a bunch of garbage bins. It was (and is) a surreal and haunting thing. It is two panels of bronze, encrusted with disembodied heads. You can see these heads, and the back of the Estates Theater all in one view, if you stand in the right place...and if it’s a hot day, you might see a particular Czech guy named Pavel, looking deceptively innocent in his sandals and black socks. If you’re lucky, he won’t be wearing socks.
It was because of Pavel (and, in other ways, because of a Russian named Victor,) that this head-encrusted door found its way into an earlier post. I’d promised, a long time ago, to show the door as it actually appeared...and in keeping my promise, here it is.
If you’re interested in what this door inspired, feel freel to look here.
Comments (24)
kgb224
Outstanding capture and story my friend.
-seek-
this is awesome... i love that type of art. great work chipka
durleybeachbum
I can't grasp what I'm looking at! Are we looking up? or along? and does it matter that i can't decide? An amazing thing and another enthralling read!
KatesFriend
That IS a surreal sight - made even more surreal by the fact that I'm listening to 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now' by Starship as I view this. I wonder what its history is and what the artist who made it was thinking of when he/she came up with it. And who is this likeness so meticulously cloned here like the Imperial stormtroopers. It is impressive as it is strange. Like durleybeachbum, I am also taken (or perhaps disoriented) by the lack of orientational reference that adds to the surreal character of this moment.
blondeblurr
Poor Pavel, being innocently accused of scaring tourists, that's really funny-a star in his own right- of comedic qualities... If Chicago would be a 'Sister City' to Prague, then you could always return the favour ? A monument for the 'heroes of the dark', leaves me somehow with goose-pimples and a bit reminiscent of George Orwell's 1984. BB
auntietk
For a split second, when I first saw the thumb, I thought ... "How exciting! What IS it?" and then my brain kicked in and I realized immediately what it was. Your shots of this door are among my favorites of your photography, no matter how you use them. This is a phenomenal piece of art in its original form, as well as in its photographic form. I'm glad you posted this. It's GOOD to know there are things like this on this planet!
RickGot
Fascinating, and great use of perspective to present this to us. Very well done.
Meisiekind
WOW - what an amazing piece of art in the lovely Prague! I love th angle of your shot Chip and once again an amazing read! Bravo!
micturn
Brilliant, and a little unsettling.
plasmid
Great picture. I think that maybe the person who made this door designed it for people who were "ahead" of their peers!
MrsLubner
Awesome shot but... ok, this door is creepy. But what gorgeous craftmanship.
beachzz
One of these days, I hope to walk with you and Pavel and see these for myself. You paint such a wonderful picture of him, and I like him a lot. This door is astonishing, though just one of many, many more astonishing doors in Prague. I looked at your previous post and it took my breath away. I love that someone thought of this, and all those other doors.
helanker
It is such a fantastic door, though I cannot see the "door" in it :-) Yes, and a little creepy too. :-)
MC-Jay-One
Wow, this is superb, great shot!
MrsRatbag
Surreal and enthralling; and your narrative is another brief peek into the complexity of Chip!
ladyraven23452
How cool.
elfin14doaks
Wow, interesting and highly creative.
anaber
I love doors..it means always something misterious to discover..somehow magical surround a door,well...this is for me,of course!This one add the faces...silent,quite,challenging...and inspirational as is known already!Great photograph!Thank you!
groegnitram
it is a remarkable door and like you said, praha is remarkable! i remember some of these doors when i was there for visit, some years ago. i was impressed by the architecture and its very own character, by the helpful and kind people as well. but there is more to it, as my love for the slavonic culture, history and esp. their literature, has so grown by the years so very much. those faces are haunting and quite impressive to look at, so wonderful seen! and i want to say thank you very much for the favourites, it is quite very much appriciated, i'm glad you enjoyed your stay in my place so much, thank you chipka!
romanceworks
I have never seen such a door - it is amazing. And I can see why it inpsired your art and your story. Fascinating. CC
bmac62
How neat is this? Very, very...:) Liked your former post with the Sci-Fi touch too. Makes me wonder about the who, what, when, where and why of this strange artifact.
marybelgium
super !!
myrrhluz
Fascinating door made more so by your very interesting narrative! Is there only one row facing another way? I would love to know more about this door. But like Andrea, I'm not sure it matters. It's a wonderful experience seeing and wondering. Superb image and writing!
arcavee
Spooky...