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Charcoal on paper. Although Pasternak wrote his most well-known book of prose in 1956, readers in the Soviet Union had to wait until 1988 to read it; the book was published in Czechoslovakia in 1989. Jan Zábrana had translated the book in the 1960s, but he did not live to see his translation go to print. The original book illustrations by Mikulas Medek date from this time. Medek occupies a leading position in Czech post-war art due to the original expression, profound meaning, and unique spirituality of his work. He also proved his artistic independence and spiritual dimension during the communist regime, which was a harsh adversary of modern art and free thought. From the estate of Jan Zábrana. Ref.: Jan Zábrana's translation into Czech of Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago was published by Lidové nakladatelstvi in 1989. Loaned to the Rudolfinum for an exhibition in 2002. Used to illustrate an article by Jiri Honzik: "Pasternakova symbolická autobiografie" [Pasternak's Symbolic Autobiography], in: Svetová literatura 1969, vol. 14, pp. 135, 143, 167, 173