Lot 153

František Gross (1909 - 1985) DRILL

Industrial landscapes, machines and outskirts of cities are featured very often in František Gross's art. This is also the case for the Social Civilist-style still life with a drill, which is remarkable for its vivid color and sense of geometric arrangement. Painter and graphic artist František Gross was a leading exponent of Group 42 and Radar art groups. He studied at the Czech Technical University under Professor O. Blažíček and at the School of Applied Arts under Professor František Kysela. Here he met František Hudeček and the two forged a lifelong friendship. In 1933–34 he became acquainted with surrealism, which combined with his Cubist tendencies offered fertile ground for absurdism and humor. He held his first exhibition with Ladislav Zívr in his hometown of Nová Paka.