23. Primavesi’s House

23. Primavesi’s House

Žerotínova 11

The Primavesis, a family of industrialists and bankers originally from Lombardy, commissioned the construction of this representative villa in Šumperk. The Art Nouveau corner house built for Moritz Primavesi was designed by renowned Viennese architects Anton and Josef Drexler. This combination of a home and business headquarters was completed by Franz Riess in 1897. However, Moritz did not live to see its completion, and the house was inherited by his son Sigmund. Today the building serves as an elementary art school.

Moritz’s father, Carl Anton Primavesi, founded distilleries and sugar factories all over Moravia, and he himself also ran a spinning mill in Vrbno pod Pradědem. The most interesting family member was undoubtedly Moritz’s son, Otto Primavesi. He was well-known as a patron of the arts and a visionary. He was instrumental in the creation of an architectural marvel in the Šumperk area, which can now unfortunately only be admired in preserved photographs. It was an extensive summer residence in Kouty nad Desnou. Its architect, Josef Hoffman, combined elements of antiquity and folk mountain architecture. He also designed the interior of the house in the famous Wiener Werkstätte. The interiors were also partly designed by family friend and sculptor Anton Hanak. Even the famous painter Gustav Klimt regularly came for a visit.