Josef Čapek – Artist and Inventor of Robot

Josef Čapek (1887-1945) was born in Hronov, Bohemia (Austria-Hungary, now Czech Republic). He was three years older than his brother Karel Čapek (1890-1938), who was to become one of the most influential Czech writers of the 20th century. Josef Čapek at first studied weaving (1901–3) at a craft school in Vrchlabí, but soon it became...

Art and Design, CULTURE

May 8, 2016

Mother’s Day 1948 in the Czech Republic

To honor the Mother’s today, I am sharing some photographs of Mother’s Day in 1948 in the former Czechoslovakia. In the Czech Republic, Mother’s Day is celebrated every second Sunday in May. It started in 1923. Traditionally, children make handmade gifts or write poems for their mothers. The roots can be traced all the way back to when people celebrated...

Holidays

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

April 7, 2016

Czech Transgender Artist Toyen

Marie Čermínová (1902 – 1980), was a Czech Transgender Artist mostly known as Toyen in the art world. Born in Smíchov, Bohemia, she lived much of her life in Paris. She left home at the age of 16 and worked at a soap factory in Zizkov while putting himself through school. During her 60-year career she was created...

Art and Design, CULTURE, Women

April 5, 2016

Kupka and Abstract Expressionism

Bohemian-born artist František Kupka began in the 1890s by painting portraits and historical themes. Later he went on to become one of the key figures in the development of abstract expressionism and Orphic cubism (Orphism). In this post we’ll see his works in chronological order in order to see the changes he made in his style...

Art and Design, CULTURE

March 29, 2016

Scary Austrian Parade Krampus

Even though we are not at all close to Christmas, this creepy Austrian tradition is just too interesting not to share. I recently found out about a medieval tradition Austrians have on the 6th of December (Saint Nicolas) to keep children good before Christmas. They arrange a parade where Krampus, known as Saint Nicholas’s evil...

CULTURE, Holidays

March 26, 2016

What’s Inspiring Me – Volume 15

One thing that inspired me when we were in Prague and that continues to inspire me to this day is the colorful apartment buildings, and not only apartment buildings but just about every building there. Every time you turn a corner there is a new building of a new color. Even on the famous astronomical clock in Old...

Art and Design, CULTURE

March 25, 2016

Medieval Easter in the Czech Republic

Somewhere in Bohemia, people gather to celebrate a Medieval Easter and today via the internet, we’ll be joining them at the Křivoklát Castle which is located in the Central Bohemia Region of the Czech Republic. Křivoklát was founded in the 12th century, belonging to the kings of Bohemia. During the reign of Přemysl Otakar II a large,...

Holidays

March 25, 2016

Czech Easter Lamb Recipe

There are a couple of rules when making an Easter Lamb or or Velikonoční Beránek as it is called in Czech. The most important is to use a dense cake batter. We recommend a pound cake or dough for bábovka. Rule number two is to make sure to butter and then either flour or bread crumb the...

Food, Holidays, LIFESTYLE, Recipes

March 24, 2016

Easter in Old Town Square

During the cold days of December, just before Christmas, a huge Christmas tree with millions of lights and street stands with vendors cooking up warm cider are set up in Old Town Square in the heart of Prague. In March something similar happens. Huge Easter egg statues are brought out and placed in all the parks and street stands...

CULTURE, Holidays

March 23, 2016

Easter Celebrations at the Czech Castle

As is true around the world, the symbols of Easter are directly related the beginning of new life and spring. If you visit the Czech Republic in the spring and travel outside of Prague, you must visit Castle Loučeň, a romantic baroque castle with amazing grounds and all original interiors. Chateau Loucen Garden Retreat This beautiful...

Holidays

March 22, 2016

Czech Easter Egg Designs

Today we’re going to focus on incredibly detailed hand-painted eggs and miniature works of art known as Kraslice, the Czech word for Easter Egg. Throughout the Czech Republic, the beautiful Easter egg designs are elevated to a different level in the country. The egg is a popular symbol in many cultures. This ancient symbol is often associated with rebirth or fertility...

Holidays

March 21, 2016

Czech Easter Customs

Easter, or Velikonoce (from Veliké noci or Great Nights) was greatly suppressed under the communist regime prior to 1989. Since then, the traditions of Easter have been making a wonderful comeback and while the religious aspects are known and talked about, it is not considered a serious religious holiday. Instead, it is a celebration for...

Holidays

March 20, 2016

The Six Days of Easter Based on Bohemian Tradition

Today is the first of several Easter posts where we will focus on Czech Easter traditions and folk customs throughout all the lands of Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia. But first, we wanted to share The provided excerpt offers just a glimpse into the extensive article. To unlock the full content, become a Patreon patron. Our...

Holidays