Antonín Langweil and His Model of Prague

Antonín Langweil (June 13, 1791 – June 11, 1837) was a Bohemian painter, librarian, lithographer, and model maker. He created what’s famously known as the model of the city of Prague. Langweil’s model of Prague represents the city from the years 1826-1837. It is a unique testimony to the form of the Old Town, Lesser...

Art and Design, CULTURE

November 10, 2016

The Festive Mushroom Pickers

Today we are sharing a story and some rarely seen illustrations from Josef Lada. This was originally published in Czech as O svátecních houbarích and appeared in Pestrý týden, issue # 24, published on June 15, 1927. We’ve translated it for you and we’re calling it The Festive Mushroom Pickers. Neighborly chatter was coming from one of them....

NOSTALGIA, Time Warp

October 28, 2016

Vintage Czech Movie Posters from the Early 1960s

Today we’re sharing some artistic posters from the early 1960s that were created specifically for film. Vintage Czech movie posters from the early 1960s have such a specific style and look to them and we just love them. We’ve picked up a few on eBay and if you’re looking, it’s a great place to start. We’ve...

Art and Design, CULTURE

October 17, 2016

Bohemian Enameled Glass – 1700s to 1800s

Today we are looking at the beautiful hand painted pieces of Bohemian enameled glass – 1700s to 1800s. The glass then was non-leaded and the painted details are in vitreous enamel, also known as porcelain enamel. This kind of enamel was used to decorate glass vessels since the Roman period, and there is evidence of...

Bohemian Glass, CULTURE

October 12, 2016

Čapek’s Bookshelf: The Book Design of Josef Čapek

Look at what we found today! A rare Japanese First Edition copy of Čapek’s Bookshelf: The Book Design of Josef Čapek. This amazing full color edition features 119 Czech Avant Garde book covers from the 1920s and 1930s. Superb collection of Czech avant garde graphic design from the 1920s and 1930s. Also includes an appreciation...

Art and Design, CULTURE

October 8, 2016

Prague Street Art, A Beginners Guide

Prague has everything, fairytale like castles, breathtaking architecture, delicious food, hospitable people, but most of all it has an amazing amount of street art. No matter where you are in the city whether it be in the metro, at the park, or simply walking it’s many winding streets beautiful art can be seen. Art can...

Art and Design, CULTURE

October 6, 2016

Czechs Remember Vaclav Havel with Heart-Shaped Monument

A small square by the National Theater in Prague, Czech Republic was renamed yesterday after the late president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel. Havel was a Czech playwright, politician, and essayist. He was also the last president of Czechoslovakia (1989-1992) and the first president of the Czech Republic (1993-2003). Yesterday, on what would have been the late president’s 80th...

PLACES, Prague

October 6, 2016

Czech Posters for Films

Again we came across something wonderful. Today we are sharing Czech Posters for Films from the Collection of Terry Posters. This is the official Exhibition Catalogue from 2013 and was published on the occasion of the exhibition from August 28 to December 1, 2013 at the National Film Center, The National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo and...

Art and Design, CULTURE

September 8, 2016

Vintage Czech Porcelain Tea Set

Today we came across a lovely vintage Czech porcelain luncheon set for sale on eBay. It looks to be a fantastic pearlescent luncheon set which includes a tea pot with lid, creamer, sugar bowl with lid and 4 tea cups with saucers. Also included are 4 salad or dessert plates. The set comes from an estate and...

LIFESTYLE, Shopping

September 8, 2016

Jaroslav Ježek and the Brussels Style

Jaroslav Ježek was a leading Czech designer who gained fame for his practical and figural porcelain items. He was one of the founders of the Brussels style, an important development in Czech design in 1950s and 60s. Featured at the World Expo in 1958, he represented Czechoslovakia very successfully, taking away two major awards. Jaroslav Ježek (1923...

Art and Design, CULTURE

August 4, 2016

Cubism by Emil Filla

Emil Filla was born in Moravia and spent his entire childhood growing up in the Moravian town of Brno before moving to Prague. Filla studied art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague but left school to become a member in a group of artists who called themselves “The Eight.” Filla is known mostly for...

Art and Design, CULTURE

July 18, 2016

Vintage Czech Movie Posters from the 1970s

Today we’re sharing some artistic posters from the 1970s that were created specifically for film. Vintage Czech movie posters from the 1970s have such a specific style and look to them and we just love it! We’ve always loved Czech modern art. Bohemians always seemed to be on the edge of whatever new style was...

Art and Design, CULTURE

July 10, 2016

The Good Soldier Švejk in Color

We’ve already shared The Good Soldier Švejk (pronounced: shvayke) here in much more detail before, but today we came across some sweet images in color, so we are sharing once again. In The Good Soldier Švejk, celebrated Czech writer and anarchist Jaroslav Hašek combined dazzling wordplay and piercing satire in a hilariously subversive depiction of the...

Art and Design, CULTURE

April 26, 2016

František Kupka & His Satirical Illustrations from Paris

Over 100 years have passed since Paris looked upon František Kupka’s satirical illustrations the the militant and politically charged periodicals L’Assiette au Beurre and Le Canard Sauvage. Using the pseudonym Edmon Chateney, Le Canard Sauvage was a periodical which was anti-militarist, anti-clerical and filled with the heavily libertarian views of Joseph Werner and it ran for a full 31...

Art and Design, CULTURE

April 15, 2016

Kupka and the Lysistrata Story

František Kupka created his version the Lysistrata story in twenty beautiful etchings for a book which was issued by Blaizot, a publisher in Paris, in 1911. In 1913, the originals were sent to the National Gallery in Czechoslovakia. The story was written by Aristophanes in 411 B.C. and is set in Athens. The main character, Lysistrata, decides to end the war that...

Art and Design, CULTURE

April 12, 2016

The Paintings of Toyen

A few days ago we posted a long article all about Czech Transgender Artist Toyen. An Avant-Garde artist and surrealist, s/he worked in all kinds of mediums. Today we wanted to share some of the beautiful paintings of Toyen. The above is considered Toyen’s masterpiece by many and one of the most enduring images of...

Art and Design, CULTURE