Lot 47

Václav Špála (1885 - 1946) AT PORT

This niche in the port, captured with fresh strokes and using minimal means of expression and colors, predominantly blues, reds and ochres, testifies to Václav Špála’s great sensitivity as a painter. In this sketch he portrays a sunny day on the Mediterranean coast, which he liked to visit during his many sojourns through Southern Europe. The lazily swaying boats and sea bear the lessons of Cubism and Fauvism, while the mountains in the distance refer to one of the greatest figures in modern painting, Paul Cézanne. Cézanne’s segmentation of matter, composition of the picture, and sense of color provided a lifetime of inspiration to Špála. More than other painters, he favored personal experience and never completed his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts. He was a member of many important art associations and groups, especially Osma and Tvrdošíjní (“Stubborn Ones”), with whom he exhibited.