Butterfly

Frantisek Kobliha

Basic information

ID: Г-IV-2081
Author: Frantisek Kobliha
Name: Butterfly
Country: Czech Republic
Technique: woodcut
Material: paper
Dimensions (height x width, cm): 9.8 x 14.5

Additionally

Type: graphic art
Genre: decorative
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 butterfly is one of the favourite themes in Art Nouveau. It is often associated with the soul or the fleeting nature of life. Frantisek Kobliha frequently used this motif to decorate books. In the centre of the engraving, against a backdrop of clouds, a butterfly is depicted in flight with its open wings. The surface of the wings is dark, while the edges are patterned with light colours and black spots. On the upper wings, there are arched light stripes. At the bottom of the engraving, wide grass stems are depicted swaying in the wind.

Inscriptions

In the image, in the left corner, there is an author's mark: "F. K.". Beneath the image: "F. Kobliha". In the lower left corner: "70".

Legal regulation

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery