High-resolultion photograph(s) Download

This iconic bronze sculpture of a Bugatti 35 race car, which comes from an important Viennese collection, is one of the most impressive works from Civilism – a movement that celebrated advances in technology. As Associate Professor Šetlík explains, "In around 1924, when Stefan started to assist at Otto Gutfreund's studio after studying under Jan Štursa at the Academy of Fine Art in Prague, he was captivated by the poetry of civilian life. Sports subjects also captivated him. He understood them as a characteristic subject of the times, when competitive sports stood at the center of interest (he was not the only one, as can be seen in Otakar Švec's sculpture 'Sunbeam Motorcycle,' which was created at the same time). Stefan embodied the subject in 'The Tennis Player' and later in his missing compositions, 'Measuring Time' and 'Tire Repair.' It is said that automobilism fascinated him. A comparison with 'Tire Repair' indicates that the sculptor developed a similar motif to that presented in 'Bugatti.' The Bugatti is placed on a long, slightly inclined plinth to evoke the sense of movement. The dominant feature of the artist's approach is the simple, matter-of-fact presentation, which corresponds to the structure of the vehicle and the modeling of the two figures in the cockpit of the car – the helmeted driver and his passenger. In a departure from customary approaches, the artist expected viewers would prefer looking at the object from above or head-on." Expertise of the authentic cast: Zdeněk Preclík.