František Tichý

František Tichý ranked to the most impressive graphic artists and illustrators of the inter-war and post-war history of the 20th century Czech art. His somber, melancholic scenes are most often linked with the milieu of circus which became a certain metaphor of free attitude to life in the Poetism era. Tichý trained as lithographer and left the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague preliminary. He found his artistic journey in Paris during the 1930s where he was influenced by Seurat’s lyrical treatment of light. The draughtsman’s bravura then connects Tichý with Picasso’s Neo-Classicism. His oeuvre is linked with the roots of the Czech Lyricism, his expression, however, is characteristic of existential subtext. Portraits of clowns, magicians, fortune-tellers and, last but not least, the many variations of portrait of violinist Paganini reflect deep human anxiety. After the war, Tichý lectured at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, but left the institution in the 1950s. His prints and illustrations are precious collectors’ items highly valued for their atmosphere and artistic bravura.

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František Tichý

* 1896, Prague, Czech republic

Education

1917- 1924 Academy of Fine Arts in Prague