Czech Painter Jan Zrzavý 1890 Vadín– 1977 Prague “coast ”

Czech painter Jan Zrzavý 1890 Vadín– 1977 Prague "Coast "
Mixed media on cardboard
Size: 35 x 48.5 cm
Signed lower left J. Zrzavý 1926
Framed.

Jan Zrzavý was an important figure in Czech fine art, a representative of the emerging avant-garde in the early 20th century. He is sometimes considered a representative of magic realism.

In 1906, he failed the entrance exams in Prague. He entered the private painting school of Karel Reisner, then the school of Vladimír (František) Županský and finally the studio of František Ženíšek. From 1907 he studied for several years at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Prague under Professor Dítět. However, he was expelled after the 1908-1909 school year. He tried four times, unsuccessfully, to enter the Academy in Prague and taught himself. In 1924 he visited France (Paris, Brittany) and returned there several times until 1939. In 1910 he became a member of the Sursum Association. In 1912-1917 and 1919-1923 he was a member of the Mánes Association of Fine Arts and, from 1923, of the Umělecké Besedy Association. In 1931 he created his first stage design for the National Theatre in Prague (Mozart: Idomeneo, King of Crete) and continued to collaborate until 1959. His directing partner was mainly Ferdinand Pujman,[3] the director and dramaturge of the National Theatre Opera, as J. Zrzavý's stage design was devoted almost exclusively to musical theatre. From 1947 to 1950 he was a professor of painting and composition at the Department of Art Education of the Faculty of Arts at Palacký University in Olomouc.

In 1966 he was appointed National Artist.