Vojtěch knight Lanna (1836-1909), building contractor and one of the leading industrialists in the Habsburg monarchy, was a prominent patron and art collector. Since 1888 he was secretary of the Society of Patriotic Friends of the Arts and made decisions about the Society's aquisitions and exhibitions. From his private means he financed study trips abroad of many artists, e.g. Josef Mánes's long-desired trip to Italy in 1870 and many others. Lanna's interests in art collecting was comprehensive - from ancient to contemporary art, from painting and sculpture to graphic and decorative art. Upon the completion of the Rudolfinum, he donated to the Picture Gallery a substantial graphic collection, which he arranged himself, as well as paintings by members of the Mánes family, Josef Navrátil etc. The Museum of Decorative Arts is also indebted to him for some of its collections - glass and medals. Lanna's portrait by Myslbek was commissioned in 1908 by the governing board of the Museum of Decorative Arts and was made shortly before the knight's death. The sculptor used photographs that exist to this day. Thanks to its realism, modern handling and excellent psychology this portrait is one of Myslbek's best representative portraits.
