Lot 925: Milada Maresová (Czech, 1901-1987), "The Banjo

Milada Maresová (Czech, 1901-1987), "The Banjo Dance", oil on canvas, signed lower left, 22 in. x 30 in., framed, together with signed copies of "Svatebni Kosile - The Spectre's Bride" from 1930, and "Arabske Biblicke Tradice", both with illustrations by Maresová. Note: Maresová's early success as a painter was overshadowed by her later political difficulties. She initially enrolled at the local School of Decorative Arts before attending the Prague Academy, studying under the Austrian-born Vojtech Hynais (1854-1925). In 1923 she moved to Paris where she apprenticed with Franti_ek Kupka (1871-1957), an early proponent of the abstract art movement. Mare_ová debuted in Prague in 1925 at the prestigious Topicuv Salon and continued to exhibit in local galleries for the next several years. In the late '20s and '30s, she supplemented her income by working as an illustrator for a variety of journals, including one which had been banned by the government. Arrested and convicted by the Gestapo, she was sentenced to 12 years in the women's penitentiary. During her incarceration, Maresová continued to draw and upon her release she illustrated children's books. She did not return to painting until the '60s. In 2008 the Moravska galerie (Moravian Gallery) in Brno, Czech Republic featured a solo exhibition of her work. Reference: www.moravska-galerie.cz