Jan Zrzavý (1890–1977) is represented in the National Gallery in Prague by an extensive collection of illustration drawings, ranging from initial sketches to final compositions ready for reproduction. Zrzavýʼs modern approach to the contents of the text elevated illustration to an equivalent work and made it a significant part of his oeuvre. His most famous visual accompaniments to the collections of poems by Karel Hynek Mácha, *May*, and Jaromír Erben, *A Bouquet* are linked with the 1920s and the Aventinum publishing house of Otakar Štorch-Marien. The second upswing in Zrzavýʼs career relates to his return to the artistic scene in the latter half of the 1950s, with the drawings for Shakespeareʼs *Sonnets* and with illustrations for the artistʼs beloved author, Julius Zeyer. His drawings are part of an array of books, by both Czech and foreign writers, which are also presented within the selection on display in the Graphic Cabinet.
Curated by: Zuzana Novotná
