Exhibition by academic painter Klára Sedlo at the Minorite Friary in Prague

In June, an exhibition by painter Klára Sedlo entitled The Secret Garden from the Voynich Manuscript opened at the Minorite Monastery in Prague, right in the heart of the capital. The exhibition will run until the end of September this year.
Like many people around the world, Czech painter Klára Sedlo is fascinated by the mysterious manuscript dating from the first half of the 15th century, written in an unknown script and probably in an unknown language. Over the centuries, it has passed through the hands of many owners and is now kept at the Beinecke Library at Yale University in the United States. It got its current name from the American collector Wilfrid Voynich, who acquired it from Italy in the early 20th century.

However, the first documented owner is usually considered to be Georgius Barschius (Czech: Jiří Bareš, 1585–1662), and Emperor Rudolf II is also said to have been one of the owners of the manuscript. There are countless theories about the origin, creation, journey, and meaning of this mysterious work, and scientists and laymen from all over the world have worked or are working on deciphering it. It is often rightly referred to as the most mysterious book in the world.
One of the prominent theories about the origin of the Voynich Manuscript is that it was written by Angelo of Florence, court pharmacist to Charles IV and his son Wenceslas IV. It was thanks to the collaboration of these important men that the first botanical garden in our country was established on a plot of land measuring approximately one hectare in the center of Prague. The founding documents were probably signed by Emperor Charles IV. in the Minorite Friary in Prague.

In addition to the mysterious text, the book also contains another equally fascinating part, namely the ubiquitous illustrations. Six years ago, academic painter Klára Sedlo set herself the goal of painting each of the nearly two hundred fantastical plants depicted in the botanical section of the manuscript. "My first impulse was to depict the plants as they might look if they actually existed," says Klára Sedlo herself. "The manuscript contains more like sketches or drawings. I am actually reconstructing plants that I have never seen based on centuries-old records." At first, the painter depicted them mainly in the form of Baroque still lifes, but in the last two years she has taken a more liberal approach to the subject: "Recently, the overall atmosphere of the manuscript has been reflected much more in the paintings. The plants have come to life in luminous bodies, arranged in still lifes, and one painting even depicts an allegory of the cipher itself."

This year, the Voynich Botanical Exhibition has already been presented at the Prague House in Brussels, Belgium, and at the Galleria della Biblioteca Angelica in Rome, Italy, before concluding its journey at the Minorite Monastery in Prague. "For me personally, this „picture tour“ is one of the most significant experiences of this year," admits painter Klára Sedlo. "One theory suggests that the manuscript originated in Italy. And we know with certainty that the manuscript traveled between Prague and Italy at least once. I am delighted that the next stop for the paintings is the Old Town, specifically the Minorite Friary, which is probably also closely connected with the manuscript. I couldn't have come up with anything better myself. And who knows? Maybe one day we'll even take the Voynich Garden to Yale," smiles the author.

Tickets to the exhibition can be purchased online or directly at the monastery's information desk.

The Mysterious Garden from the Voynich Manuscript
Exhibition of paintings by academic painter Klára Sedlo
Minorite Frairy Prague, Malá Štupartská 635/6, Prague 1
June 9 – September 30, 2025, Tuesday to Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

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