In May, we will be commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of Jan Štursa (15 May 1880, Nové Město na Moravě – 2 May 1925, Prague), one of the founders of Czech modern sculpture. He drew inspiration from some of Europe’s leading modernists – including Antoine Bourdelle, Aristide Maillol and above all Medardo Rosso. The characteristic features of his early work can be seen in the sculpture Melancholic Girl (1906), which lyrically depicts the inner world of the younger generation. The tragedy of the First World War left a lasting mark on him during his active military service, from which he was liberated thanks to his professorship at the Prague Academy of Fine Arts. After the war, Štursa became known for his monumental public sculptures in a neo-Classical style, embodied not only in various memorials but also in works exploring deeply humanist themes related to the experience of war (Injured, Icarus, etc.). As a teacher at the Academy in Prague he had a strong influence over the younger generation of Czech sculptors, ranging from Jan Lauda to Zdeněk Pešánek.
This exhibition at the gallery’s Graphic Art Section showcases Štursa’s drawings and graphic pieces, accompanied by two examples of his sculptural work.

Jiří Jůza

Curator: Jiří Jůza
Text: Jiří Jůza
Translation: Christopher Hopkinson
Graphic design: Katarína Jamrišková
Promotion: Jana Malášek Šrubařová, Magdaléna Staňková