October 2026 Conference: Intimate Dining of the 18th Century

International Conference in Český Krumlov/ Magical, Flying and Confidence Tables: Intimate Dining of the 18th-Century Nobility/ 11–13 October 2026/ details here

If you are interested in the history of mechanical dining tables and food, this conference is for you! Its in the Czech town of Český Krumlov, and focused on the Magical 'flying table', which raises from below the floor boards, laden with food and dishes, in the Bellaria Summer Palace, with Ivan Day, Stéphane Castelluccio and Samuel Wittwer.

During the reign of Prince Josef Adam of Schwarzenberg, the Bellaria was rebuilt in Rococo style to its present form. Inside the upper terrace, rooms were carved out of the rock for a kitchen, a food elevator (the Magic Table), and a "grotto" or artificial cave (1745-46). The interior walls of the Lower and Upper Halls were decorated with typically illusionistic paintings by František Jakub Prokyš.
The programme includes a rare demonstration of the restored 1760 Magical Table, visits to the Baroque Theatre and historic kitchens, and discussions of the restoration, symbolism, and enduring legacy of these extraordinary mechanical inventions.

The three-day conference package costs €600. Places are strictly limited to 20 participants and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

CONFERENCE ORGANISERS:

The National Heritage Institute, Regional Historic Site Management in České Budějovice, State Castle and Chateau Český Krumlov, The Foundation of The Baroque Theatre in Český Krumlov, The Silesian University, Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava, The National Museum of Agriculture in cooperation with Ivan Day, Petra Burianová and Milan Svoboda