The artist was born into an intelligent and wealthy family. At the age of 6, he survived the death of his stepsister, with whom he was incredibly friendly. This tragedy left an unhealed trace in Jindrich’s soul, and subsequently reflected in his work.
1899 - 1942
Jindrich Styrsky
description
An innovative Czech artist, photographer, graphic artist and theater decorator, poet and art theorist, the brightest figure of European Surrealism of the 20th century. Jindrich Styrsky is also considered a representative of the Paris school of painting, since he lived and worked in France for a considerable time.
The student of the Prague Academy of Arts was a part of Czech artistic bohemia and national avant-garde associations during its development between the two world wars – first in the Devestil group, then in the Manes group, and later in the surrealist community, one of the founders of which J. Styrsky became in 1934. In addition, the artist stood at the origins of the emergence of avant-garde photographic art and new scenography in Prague – he ran the Free Theater of the Czech capital.
In the 1930s, Styrsky was the editor of the private magazine “The Erotic Revue” with illustrations from many famous Czech artists. The artist supplemented each issue with his collages. Among the most important surrealistic works is “Emily Comes to Me in a Dream”, which was published accompanied by erotic photomontages by the author and psychoanalytic interpretation of B. Brook. It greatly accelerated the overcoming of taboos and censorship of the bourgeois culture of that time.
Jindrich Styrsky is a very peculiar, and, therefore, is not just a readable artist of Czech interwar art. His works are approved by modern European avant-garde classics and are presented in the most visited museums and galleries of the Czech Republic.
Key ideas:
– Styrsky created his early works, for the most part, under the influence of Cubism; the artist was recognized as a Cubist with a lyrical focus. However, Surrealism became the Czech artist’s “native” style a bit later. At the age of 21, he “released” his first photography in the style of surrealism. His passion for photographing was so strong that Jindrich was engaged in this type of art throughout his creative career and contributed to the development of the art of photography.
– After 1925, the painting of Jindrich Styrsky became close to off-figure, that is to say, it had features of Abstract art. Having gone to Paris together with his faithful friend, artist Toyen (Maria Chermilova), the painter announced the creation of a new original art movement called Artificialism. It was an alternative to both Surrealism and Abstractionism.
– In the early 1930s, the art of the Czech master acquired more distinctive features of Surrealism. Returning to Prague, he became one of the organizers of the Surrealist Society in Czechoslovakia, the main leader of which was Jindrich’s friend, Czech poet-innovator Vitezslav Nezval.
– The artist, along with paintings and photographs, paid a lot of attention to colourful collages and theatrical scenography. For all these types of creativity, the primary source of inspiration was dreams, individual observations and fantasies. The art of the mature master is characterized by his increased interest in eroticism both in art and in literary creations – the surrealistic story “Emily comes to me in a dream” became the most famous text with author’s erotic collage illustrations.
1899
1918
1922
1923
1925
1928
1932
1934
1935
1942
The artist was born
He entered the Prague Academy of Arts
Having received primary education at the gymnasium in Hradec Králové, he entered the Prague Academy of Arts and soon became an active participant in the creative bohemia of the capital.
Met M. Cherminova
Met M. Cherminova (known as the artist Toyen), with whom he was friends until the end of his days. He completed his first photographic works in the style of surrealism – this hobby became a matter of his entire creative career along with painting.
"Devestil"
Together with Joseph Shima, he joined the creative community “Devestil”, a branch of which was opened in Brno. Writers and artists dedicated their creations to proletarian art and worked in the style of so-called magical realism.
He moved to Paris
He moved to Paris together with M. Cherminova. There, the creative couple stayed for more than three years, working in a unique style, later called “artistry”. During all those years, their works were often exhibited at galleries and Salons.
He issued the magazines Odeon, Erotic Review
After returning to the Czech Republic, the artist became the main decorator-designer of the Prague Avant-garde Theater of Liberation. He issued the magazines Odeon, Erotic Review.
“Manes”
Joined the avant-garde art association of writers and artist “Manes”, remained a member and an active participant in exhibitions until the end of his life.
He became the founder of the Prague Surrealist Society of Czechoslovakia
Under the leadership of V. Nezval and together with Toyen, B. Brook and K. Teige, he became the founder of the Prague Surrealist Society of Czechoslovakia. The group’s activity was centred on the organization of exhibitions (the largest ones were held in 1935 and 1938) and debates, in which French masters Andre Breton, his wife Jacqueline and Paul Eluard participated.
He again moved to Paris
At the invitation of his colleagues, he again moved to Paris. However, he soon became seriously ill. The diagnosis of “impaired activity of the heart muscle” was incurable at that time.
The seriously ill artist decided to die voluntarily
Returning to Prague, the seriously ill artist decided to die voluntarily. His last unfinished work was the canvas “Maldoror”, the work on which began in 1941. It was sold at the auction of 2007 for almost 13 million Czech crowns. The first memorial retrospective of the artist took place after the war in 1946.