Lot 62

Bohumil Kafka (1878 - 1942) WOMAN ADJUSTING HER HAIR AFTER BATH

Kafka's experiences from his summer stay in the seaside town of Omnival with his colleague Karel Špillar and his wife gave birth to the impressionistic sculpture Woman Adjusting Her Hair After Bath. This sculpture highlights the deep dark space created by the opening of a long bathrobe. Petr Wittlich writes: "This sculpture in particular is remarkable for its intuition of inner space, an idea that was originally symbolist, but here acquires a new expressive immediacy on a civilian theme."

In a modest studio on the avenue d'Orléans in Paris (1905-1908), Kafka worked feverishly to produce a large series of intimate sculptures of various orientations, with which he permanently represented himself, and which, even from today's perspective, are among his most modern creations. The artist's internationally comparable artistic level is shown by his pre-war works now on permanent display at the National Gallery in the Trade Fair Palace. Prof. PhDr. Petr Wittlich, CSc. characterizes his work with the words: "In Kafka's works there is a chill of life, expressiveness of silhouettes, skill of ornament and a fervent, somewhat dark imagination, artistry and elegance of spirit." The collection of eight sculptures on offer comes from the artist's estate from his famous villa in Prague 6, Ořechovka, which was designed for him by architect Pavel Janák.

Bohumil Kafka's sculptural work was largely created in the spirit of Art Nouveau and Symbolist tendencies. Kafka studied at the Sculpture and Stone School in Hořice v Podkrkonoší and at the School of Applied Arts in Prague. In 1904-1908 he lived and worked in Paris. He collaborated with his teacher Stanislav Sucharda on the monument to František Palacký. After Sucharda's death in 1916, he was appointed professor of decorative sculpture at the School of Decorative Arts. In 1925 he became professor of sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts. He also created a number of decorative elements for facades, busts, statues and monuments. The offered work comes from the estate of the artist from his famous villa in Prague 6, Ořechovka, which was designed for him by architect Pavel Janák.

Published full-page: Kafka, Bohumil and Wittlich, Petr. Bohumil Kafka: (1878-1942) : the story of a sculptor. Prague: Karolinum, 2014, p. 70.