Localisation: by the wall in front of the entrance to the Hluboká Castle grounds
“Waldemar” is a figurative sculpture representing a standing male figure. The figure is close in height to an adult human being, but has much more massive proportions. It is broad, compact and heavy in expression. It stands frontally, on a low rectangular slab. It makes no gesture. Its arms are lowered along the body, the legs set straight and close together. The whole figure gives the impression of being stopped in immobility, almost statue-like.
The sculpture is made of metal with a dark green patina, in places greenish-blue. In the recesses the colour darkens, turning almost black. On the protrusions it becomes cooler, turquoise or muted green. The surface is not smooth. It is strongly relief-like, full of small divisions, offsets and protrusions. Light catches on the projecting elements, while the darker lines between them emphasise the segmented structure of the figure.
The figure has a short, broad body. The torso resembles armour, a thick tunic or a suit of armour composed of many small parts. Its entire surface is covered with raised rectangles and squares. These elements form irregular but quite compact rows. They do not create realistic clothing. Rather, they build the impression of a protective shell placed over the body. The front of the torso is the most densely worked. It is here that the small elements are most visible and give the figure the character of someone armoured, shielded.
Waldemar’s shoulders are broad and fall heavily at the sides. The arms are not anatomically developed. They have the form of simple, compact solids. The hands are dark, simplified, similar to thick gloves. Clearly separated fingers are not visible. The legs are set vertically, almost parallel. They are straight, stiff, and slightly narrowing towards the bottom. Their surface is also covered with vertical and rectangular divisions. The feet are large, broad and set flat on the base.
The head is set low, almost without a neck. It has the shape of a simplified mask or helmet. It is broad, angular, slightly larger than would result from natural proportions. On the sides there are short, horizontal protrusions. They may resemble the side parts of a helmet or guards near the ears. The face is flat and synthetic. The most distinct feature is a long, straight nose. The eyes are small, dark and deeply set. They have the shape of horizontal cuts in the structure of the metal. The mouth is indicated very sparingly. The face shows no emotion.
The whole figure has been strongly simplified and geometrised. It is not a realistic portrait of a human being. The static pose, massive proportions and segmented surface evoke the image of an ancient warrior or ruler. The sculpture builds this association not through a literal costume, but through the means of expression used.
Finally, it is worth recalling the context of the work provided by the organisers. The sculpture was given the name “Waldemar”, which is of Germanic origin and translates as “powerful ruler”. The inspiration for the work was a record of an archaeological find, described in “National Geographic” magazine. It showed the remains of the First Emperor of the Qin dynasty, with his jade armour and helmet, discovered in Xi’an’s Lintong District. The author of the work, Jaroslav Róna, was struck by the particular stiffness of this figure, and it was this that he translated into the sculptural form of Waldemar.