September 23, 1884: birth of Josef Váchal, one of the most original Czech artists
Josef Váchal, born September 23, 1884, was a graphic artist, woodcarver, writer, and philosopher, one of the most original Czech artists and thinkers of the 20th century .
Life in Poverty
He spent most of his life in poverty and relative obscurity. Public interest in his work and growing recognition only began in the 1990s. Influenced by Expressionism and other artistic movements, Váchal attempted to develop his own unique style as early as the First Czechoslovak Republic. His greatest works of graphic art are his books, which he wrote, illustrated, printed, and bound in just a few copies. His best-known works include the monumental and costly “Šumava: Dying and Romantic” and "The Bloody Novel". Despite being dismissed by some as fantastical or an absurd masterpiece, "The Bloody Novel" was adapted into both a film and a radio play.
Child outsider
Josef Váchal was born in the village of Milavče near Domažlice as an illegitimate child. His father was a cousin of the renowned Czech painter Mikoláš Aleš. Váchal had a difficult childhood, finding solace more in animals, especially dogs, than in people. He did not complete grammar school but trained as a bookbinder. He was also deeply involved in occultism and esoteric studies. A lifelong trauma stemmed from his experiences fighting on the Austrian-Italian front during World War I. A significant turning point in his life was the period of German occupation during World War II. In his later years, the eccentric artist lived in poor conditions in a damp, small room in a tractor station in the village of Studeňany, where he passed away in May 1969.
Portmoneum – A Peculiar Museum in a Peculiar House
Thanks to one of Váchal’s admirers, the printer Josef Portman, we can today admire Váchal’s dazzling work in the town of Litomyšl. Portman commissioned Váchal to decorate two rooms in his house, now known as the Portmoneum. This unique museum showcases Váchal’s mysterious paintings, featuring landscapes, devils, goblins, ghosts, personifications of death, and mystical motifs.
