Lot 170

Ota Janeček (1919 - 1996) IN MEMORY OF J.P.

Works by Ota Janeček are always highly sought-after at auctions. In Memory of J.P. presents a stylized portrait of an open-mouthed Jan Palach and elements of action painting. This is not the only painting in Janeček’s oeuvre to feature the moment of death by burnings; he also portrayed faces from auto-da-fe attempts in Brno and Leopoldov. His lifelong work culminated in a large retrospective exhibition at the Mánes in Prague in 1995. Ota Janeček's work can be found at the National Gallery in Prague, the Tate in London, the National Library of France in Paris, the MC Nay Institute in San Antonio, Texas, the Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts in Japan, and the National Gallery of Wales.