Lot 159

Zdeněk Burian (1905 - 1981) FOR THE COLOUR OF THE SKIN

An exemplary gouache painting by an excellent Czech painter and draftsman, who has gained fame abroad also for his animated films and perfectionistly elaborated illustration drawings with even photorealistic features. Zdeněk Michael František Burian, was admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts at the age of 14, right into the second year. He stayed at school for less than 2 years and at sixteen he started making a living as an illustrator. He received international recognition for the reconstruction of extinct animals and plants, which he worked on in collaboration with leading experts, including paleontologist Josef Augusta, anthropologist Vojtěch Fetter and others. The presented illustration to the book by F. Gerstäcker For the color of the skin shows its illustrative orientation to Western literature, it was published in the adventurous periodical for young people - Pionýr, volume 20.