Statue of Franz Kafka, by J. Róna

The sculpture of Franz Kafka by Jaroslav Rona

The Prague audio-guided tour has you discover an intriguing statue of nearly four metres, which pays tribute to Franz Kafka. The writer, studied throughout the world for his major works of the twentieth century blending the absurd and realism, is here represented in a most singular way.

A work inspired by a short story

To create this work inaugurated in 2003, the sculptor Jaroslav Rona drew inspiration from Kafka's short story entitled Description of a Struggle. The statue depicts a figure perched on the shoulders of an empty suit, a surrealist and disconcerting image, faithful to the world of the writer. It is three metres seventy-five high and embodies with force the strangeness and the depth of his work.

What there is to see

The bronze sculpture, by its strangeness, attracts and questions the passer-by: a man seated on the shoulders of a suit without head or body. It is one of the many tributes paid to Kafka in Prague, a city inseparable from the writer. Located near the Jewish quarter, it is an original stop for lovers of literature and contemporary art.

Practical information

The sculpture of Franz Kafka by Jaroslav Rona is near the Jewish quarter of Prague, in the public space. It can be contemplated freely at all hours and on the level, along the walk.

Who created this sculpture of Kafka?

The sculptor Jaroslav Rona, in 2003, drawing inspiration from Kafka's short story Description of a Struggle.

What does the statue represent?

A figure perched on the shoulders of an empty suit, a surrealist image of nearly four metres, faithful to Kafka's world.