Lot 88

Pravoslav Kotík (1889 - 1970) PICNIC ON THE GRASS

Picnic on the Grass is a representative example of the author's highly collectible period, when the influence of cubism was reflected in the artist's work after his study trips to Paris. Kotík's paraphrase of Édouard Manet's famous composition of a graceful sculptural female nude uses an attractive turquoise tone in the background, evoking bathing motifs and environmental elements he knew and saw well. In 1924, together they founded the HoHoKoKo Social Group, which focused on realistic themes and social issues. Many layers can be found in Kotík's work; from Expressionism and Fauvism in early works, Cubism and Neoclassicism from the 1920s, to a touch of Surrealism in the 1950s. In his paintings, he plays out the stories of lovers in cafes, refined country people, or people clarifying their existence in the face of modern civilization.