The article presents different aspects of romantic paradigm that has been found in the novel written by Václav Vokolek (* 1947), Czech author (a poet, a prosaist, an essayist, a painter) born in a famous artistic family. His "Cesta do pekel" based on the idea of intertextuality is an interesting example of Czech postmodern prose that also reveals a kind of similarity with Polish romantic tradition (Zygmunt Krasiński).
This ekphrastic story related to a set of German romantic paintings (C.D. Friedrich among others) takes place in the middle of 19th century in the scenery of the Czech Switzerland endangered by the construction of the railway from Prague to Dresden.
The book in its content and editorial layout reflects the idea of romantic Gesamtkunstwerk. The author plays freely with different conventions, genres and arts to express important philosophical problems.