Figure 1.--This Jozef Kiss oportrait is titled only "Portrait of an Aristocratic Boy with Mastiff and French Bulldog'. The boy is unidentified. All we know for sure is that it was painted in 1879. The boy wears a burgandy velvet cut-away jacket with a wide white collar. The pooch aslone is a master work. We know next to nothing about Kiss. We have only a few of his paintings and none with any notable Czech content. They are portraits commissioned by well to do patrons of the Austrian Empire -- which became the Austro-Hungarian Empire 1868).

For several centurues, the Czechs were part of the Autrian Empire. Then after World War I Czecoslovakia was formed. Czechia or the Czech Republic was formed (1993). We know very little about Czech artists.The best known is surely Alfons Mucha (1860-1939) who was both a painter and decorative artist. Mucha is often described as the most defining artist of the Art Nouveau style. Here he painted beautiful women with flowers. These wondurful images, however, provide little useful information for our HBC website. Much eventually, however, tired of this and pained what he called 'The Slavic Epic', a largely alegorical set of the history of the Slavic people, encompasing not only the Czecha, but other Slavs such as the Poles, Russians, Ukranians and others. Czech painter Leopold Pollak was born in Lodenitz (1806). He moved to Rome in 1831. Much of his work this as done in Italy. Josef Kiss was a Czech 19th century classical painter (1833-1900) We have not been able to find much inormatiion about him. Wehave not dound any Czech themes, but mostly portaits of wealthy clients. We are not familiar with other Czech artists, but hopefully our Czech readers can provide some insights on Czech artists.

Emanuel Salomon Friedberg-Mírohorský (1829-1808)

Emanuel Salomon Friedberg-Mírohorský as an imprtant officer in Austro-Hungarian Army. The family was of common origins, but was enobled. He was of Czech originsc and retired to Bohemia after his military servuce. His Czech national sentiment is debated, but the use of Mírohorský, Czech for Friedberg or 'peaceful mountain', suggest it was present. It reported, but unsubstantiated that he quarled with Emperor Franz Josef at his retirement dinner. One of his spare time pursuits was art for which he had some skill. He was not a master artist, but his work is of some interest. We note a depiction of a military parade in Prague, about 1900. Friedberg was an interestuing person. He was multi-lengual and an author and trabnslator. He was a strong believer in a healthy lifestyle. He be believed in abstenence, and refrasined from smoking and drinking.

Josef Kiss

Josef Kiss was a Czech 19th century classical painter (1833-1900 ). The Austro-Hungarian Empire covered much of southern Europe, comprising the Czech lands, including Bohemia. We have not been able to find much information about him. We have not found any Czech themes, but mostly beautily done portaits of wealthy clients. Here we see a boy from an aristocratic or wealthy family (figure 1). He wears a bugundy-colored velvet knee pants suit. He has wide Eton-like white collar and a blue bow looking like a stock worn under the jacket. He also has a blue handkerchief in btreast pocket. There are a rather oddly colored grey long stockings. Mother has tzken no effiort to mrcg or coordinate items which seesms odd for such a well dressed boy.

Alfons Mucha

The best known Czech artist is surely Alfons Mucha (1860-1939) who was both a painter and decorative artist. Mucha is often described as the most defining artist of the Art Nouveau style. Here he painted beautiful women with flowers. These wondurful images, however, provide little useful information for our HBC website. Much eventually, however, tired of this and pained what he called "The Slavic Epic", a largely alegorical set of the history of the Slavic people, encompasing not only the Czecha, but other Slavs such as the Poles, Russians, Ukranians and others.

Leopold Pollak

Another Czech painter is Leopold Pollak. He was born in Lodenitz, located in Bohemia (1806). He moved to Rome in 1831. This seems to have severed his conctiion with the Czechs, a least in his art work. Much of his work was done in Italy. It includes some wonderful genre work, but of Italians and not Czechs.

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Created: 3:02 AM 12/24/2022
Last updated: 3:02 AM 12/24/2022