Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk

For decades, the stone statue of Saint John of Nepomuk stood in Dlouhá Ves, largely unnoticed. The thick coat of synthetic paint covering its surface did little to enhance its charm. Like the proverbial ugly duckling, it seemed plain and unrefined, escaping even the notice of art historians who once compiled inventories of monuments. Only specialist restoration in 2021 revealed its secrets. Beneath the layers of paint emerged a sculpture of remarkable quality, whose artistry ranks among the finest works in the entire region. The restoration also confirmed the statue’s true age: it had been commissioned all the way back in 1725 by Count Jan Josef of Gašín, then owner of the Hlučín estate. It was created in the same year as the chapel on the square, likewise built in honour of Saint John of Nepomuk. This coincidence raises several questions: why were both monuments created in the same year? And where did the statue originally stand? Its one-time position in front of Dudek’s inn evidently came much later. Nor did it remain long outside the hostelry, for it soon became a convenient target for drinkers in need of relief. Eventually, it was moved to the garden opposite, safe from the inebriated, though subjected to repeated coats of unsuitable paint. Thanks to the efforts of Josef Hlubek, the restorer Tomáš Skalík returned Nepomuk to his former lustre, complete with original polychromy.