For nearly four decades, an extraordinary artistic talent has graced the Czech and, subsequently, the international glass art scene, bringing with it the boundless patience required for creating stained glass. This art form is increasingly finding its place not only in religious settings but also in secular environments, adorning homes and public spaces. A guide to the work of Jitka Kantová is provided by a publication released in 2023, commemorating thirty years of creative work by the Kant couple in Lubenec, in the Karlovy Vary region, and we invite art enthusiasts to learn more through the following text.

To refresh our memories, the art of stained glass has existed since ancient times, with the creation of the first colored glass pieces. The greatest flourishing of this glass art, reminiscent of today's jigsaw puzzles, is associated with the construction of medieval churches and monasteries. Centuries later, stained glass became a common feature in the decoration of various public and private interiors.

At the forefront of Czech workshops specializing in this art of assembling colored glass pieces into an impressive mosaic of diverse subjects is the studio and workshop of Jitka and Richard Kant. Nearby, we can find a unique European institution – the Czech Museum of Stained Glass, housed in a renovated church of St. Giles, a Gothic monument from 1338 in the Karlovy Vary region.

When hands work together, the work succeeds.

This couple are classmates from the elementary school in Lubenec. They both attended the glassmaking school in Valašské Meziříčí. They later became spouses, and, to add to that, artistic partners in their family business since 2000. Today, those interested in stained glass items can observe their complex production process during guided tours of the Lubenec workshop. Visitors can witness firsthand how this delicate art is created, from miniatures and decorative items of all kinds to window and large-scale stained glass panels.

A special feature of Jitka's work is her stained glass sculptures, which combine natural stone with glass. And what is the division of labor in Lubenec? Jitka Kantová is the designer, conceiving various ideas, while Richard Kanta is the technologist, overseeing the production of his wife's designs. From the smallest decorative items to monumental projects measuring 80 square meters, such as the recent commission for a ceiling stained glass panel in the United States, for a New York train station!

The Kant couple have extensive experience with large-scale stained glass works, and one could say they specialize in them. In 2016, they gained recognition with their work, "Porta Bohemica – The Gate of Bohemia," which represented not only Ústí nad Labem but also the entire Czech Republic at the Expo 2016 world exposition in Italy, the birthplace of stained glass from Roman times. The regional exhibition was a huge success, receiving considerable attention in Italian media, including radio and television. The Czech pavilion, thanks to "The Gate of Bohemia," had the highest attendance at the Expo.

When Saints Walk

As they say, fortune favors the prepared. A South African artist, living and working in the United States, visited the world exposition in Italy, searching for a glass company capable of translating his complex artistic visions into stained glass. He held an international competition, which the master artisans from Lubenec won against strong competition. They successfully met the American's demanding requirements.

This marked the beginning of a collaboration between Jitka and Richard Kant and Kehinde Wiley. Following a successful commission in Paris on the Champs-Élysées, Wiley commissioned the Kants to create another series of large-scale stained glass paintings. This time, the theme was "Black Saints," depicting the oppression of Black people in the United States. The artist delved deep into the history of slavery and human rights, which were denied to Africans by white people. Since there are no recognized saints in the Black community in America, Kehinde Wiley has been proposing saints based on ordinary people who have caught his eye during his walks.

From a Madonna in jeans with a baby in her arms to a young man with a baseball cap, his requests were an enormous challenge and a tremendous undertaking. The first batch of realistic "Black Saints" consisted of five large stained glass panels, each measuring 1.2 m x 2.6 m. The second batch included five more panels in the same series. It should be noted that nothing similar had been done in contemporary, modern stained glass before. These two masters of the art form produced excellent work, which ultimately led to the commission for the stained glass ceiling of the main railway station in New York, as mentioned earlier.

A European Unique – The Stained Glass Museum

More precisely, the Czech Museum of Stained Glass was built by Richard and Jitka, along with other enthusiasts from the Association for the Preservation of the Church of St. Giles in Libyn, near Lubenec, after a complete reconstruction of the historic building during the last decade. The monument, dating back to 1338, remembers Emperor and King Charles IV, who had the church built for his visits during his long journey from Prague to Karlovy Vary.

Today, visitors can see one of the world's wonders in the form of a unique stained glass ceiling, the original church windows restored by Jitka Kant, stained glass elements of the Gothic interior, a unique stained glass altar, and, not least, Jitka Kant's specialty: stained glass sculptures that combine natural stone with glass. The museum also features exhibition spaces, an information center, and a souvenir shop.

The multi-functional chairs, which replace the traditional church pews, are often used by visitors during concerts of classical and popular music, baptisms, and other cultural and social events that regularly take place at the Stained Glass Museum. Along with the nearby observation tower and the opportunity to take tours of the Kant couple's stained glass workshop, it is a major attraction for leisure activities. More information and a schedule of events for 2026 can be found at: www.vitrazovemuzeum.cz

They Know No Word "Impossible"

Jitka, as an artistic designer who also personally creates her designs, which is not always the norm in the glassmaking industry, handles projects of all sizes, formats, and colors. From gift miniatures to home accessories, including what are known as Tiffany lamps, to large-scale stained glass windows. She regularly works on the restoration and repair of historical church windows, among other things, and her specialty includes stained glass sculptures and illuminated artworks. In her case, the apple truly didn't fall far from the tree, as she is the daughter of Kristýna Folprecht, a visual artist, painter, and writer, a designer of stained glass jewelry, and a major support for the family business, which was also one of the founding members of a group of enthusiasts dedicated to preserving the Libyn church. Unfortunately, Mrs. Folprecht recently passed away. However, her legacy lives on in the form of her daughter, Jitka, and her granddaughter, Emilka, who is just beginning to take over the family tradition of stained glass artistry. In collaboration with Jitka, Emilka created an illuminated, esoteric artwork, choosing her tarot card representing her life path – the six of hearts, a card of love. The image shows that the girl is both a Capricorn and, according to the Chinese zodiac, a Tiger.
The married couple, Jitka and Richard Kantů, have had numerous exhibitions both in the Czech Republic and abroad, and have created a vast number of works for churches, public institutions, and private clients. Among the major events planned for next year is their unique installation of illuminated objects in the outdoor spaces of the popular PASK Gallery in Klatovy. The glass pavilion in the garden of the Dr. Karel Hostáš Regional Museum focuses on the history of glassmaking in the Bohemian Forest region and showcases the best that has ever been created in the world of glass.
Currently, the Kantů couple, in addition to their daily work, which they refer to as their "bread and butter" for their sales gallery in Lubenec, are working on a large stained glass depiction of an angel for the Museum of Stained Glass. Furthermore, they have begun work on a series of stained glass depictions of the Stations of the Cross for a private client. As is well known, the Stations of the Cross depict the 14 events in the life of Christ, as described in the Bible, from his condemnation by Pontius Pilate, to his carrying of the cross along the Via Dolorosa, and his crucifixion on Mount Golgotha.