Lot 133

Karel Černý (1910 - 1960) STILL LIFE WITH ICE CREAM

This cheery still life with desserts shows elements of Expressionism, its plasticity emphasized by impasto brushwork. In contrast, deep black frames the individual elements, bestowing the painting with a sense of dynamics. The middlebrow subject may have reflected the artist’s sense for the common man, or perhaps his father’s pastry business; still lifes featuring little delicacies are a frequent subject in Černý’s work. Karel Černý enjoyed using pigments to mix his own paint, and he returned to the subjects of restaurants, bars and still lifes often and with pleasure. Černý attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in 1933–1936, where he studied under Professor Jakub Obrovský, and he later became a member of the Mánes Union of Fine Artists. However, his beginnings were far from simple – initially he apprenticed as a mechanic, but as he dreamt of painting he set out to the academy to convince Jakub Obrovský of his talent. He also received praise for his unusual talent from Jindřich Chalupecký.