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From the Series "Fantasy of Moonlit Nights"

Frantisek Kobliha

Basic information

ID: Г-IV-2107
Author: Frantisek Kobliha
Name: From the Series "Fantasy of Moonlit Nights"
Date of creation: 1944–1946
Country: Czech Republic
Technique: lithography
Material: paper
Dimensions (height x width, cm): 42.5 x 30.4

Additionally

Type: graphic art
Genre: landscape decorative symbolic art
Provenance: Gifted by Czech artists, 1971

Information about author

Author: Frantisek Kobliha
Artist's lifetime: 1877–1962
Country: Czech Republic
Biography: Frantisek Kobliha (1877–1962) was a Czech graphic artist and art critic. In 1910–1912, he headed the SURSUM group, whose members were engaged in artistic, spiritual, and occult practices. The members of the group were considered the second generation of Symbolists. Frantisek Kobliha was also one of the most influential artists and art critics of the Czech publication "Moderni Revue". Kobliha was educated in Prague at the Umprum School of Applied Arts (1896–1899) and then at the Academy of Arts, where he studied painting under Frantisek Zenisek, a representative of the academic painting style. In his creative work, Kobliha abandoned colour for black-and-white tonal variations. He worked in the techniques of lithography, drypoint, and wood engraving. In addition, he worked as a book illustrator. During the 1920s, the artist published works by such authors as Julius Zeyer (1841–1901), Jiří Karasek (1871–1951), Jan Opolsky (1875–1942), Rudolf Medek (1890–1940), and others. Kobliha also worked on bibliographical editions of literary works published by Kamilla Neumannova (1874–1957), often using floral motifs and the story's central figure as a frontal painting. The artist's oeuvre is characterised by an atmosphere of introspection and the creation of imaginary compositions, although his creative heritage also includes realistic landscapes from Czech villages. The main series of works by Frantisek Kobliha: "Simple Motifs" (1908), "Tristan" (1909–1910), a series of landscapes of Prague (1914), a series of lithographs "Fantasies of Moonlight Nights" (1944–1946), etc.

Object description

The work shows a decorative forest landscape. The thicket of an exotic forest is depicted, with the ground covered in broad-leaved grass (which resembles ferns in places). In the centre, a bright bush of a fantastical plant is represented. An exotic, fantastical bird is flying upward to the upper right, while another exotic bird is flying downwards from the left corner towards it. The background of the engraving is filled with depictions of forest grasses, flowers, and tree branches.

Inscriptions

Below the engraving, to the right of the centre of the image, there is the artist's mark: "F. K.". On the left side beneath the engraving – "С 22/31"; on the right: "F. Kobliha". At the bottom of the sheet: "f".

Legal regulation

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery

From the Series "Fantasy of Moonlit Nights"

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