Josef Wagner (painter)
Encyclopedia
Josef Wagner, Jr. painter, graphic artist, architect, pedagogue, a representative of contemporary Czech painting. At least four of his works are housed at the National Library of the Czech Republic
.
(1901–1957), was an outstanding sculptor of the interwar and post-war eras; his mother, Marie Wagnerová–Kulhánková (1906–1983), as well as his brother, Jan Wagner (1941–2005), were also sculptors.
Josef Wagner studied architecture at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design
in Prague. After graduation he devoted himself to the designing of housing and garden architecture, photography, and scenography. For almost 30 years he had been occupied with exhibition installations as head of the Exhibition Centre of the Union of Czechoslovak Visual Artists and as a collaborator of the National Gallery in Prague
. On his study travels he visited a number of European countries, particularly France, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece. He has been living and working in Prague.
and its port. In the latter half of the sixties, the themes of World War Two often appeared. After the occupation in 1968 he turned his attention also to general themes of still lifes and landscapes; dominating towers and cranes keep appearing. He created broadly conceived cycles of “Heads” (The Head of a Teacher, of Interrogator K., of Interrogator L., of a Deserter, or of an Executor of Police Orders), “Skulls”, “Honours”, or “Bestiary” (Predatory Fish, Protected Hedgehog, Cocooned Scarab Beetle, Dragon). After 1989 J. Wagner has been creating also pictures and graphics inspired by study travels to Greece, Italy, and France, as well as works reflecting contemporary world in mythical motifs or symbols of power. His works are represented in a number of both state-owned and private collections, both in the Czech Republic and abroad.
Apart from some 800 oil paintings, he is the author of a number of drawings and graphics (Grand Diploma for Graphic International Biennial Exhibition of Tuzla, 2004). He is the holder of the Award of the Czech-Bavarian Artistic Society (1994), the Award of the Masaryk Academy of Art (1997), and the Rudolph II Prize for Artistic and Cultural Activities (1997). Out of a number of exhibitions in the Czech Rep. and abroad (France, Greece, Netherlands, Switzerland, USA, Germany), the following may be pointed out: 172 Pictures and Drawings by Josef Wagner, Art Centre of Athens, Athens, Greece (1988), and Joseph Wagner rétrospective de 1958-1997, Palais Bénédicte, Fécamp, France (1999).
Clementinum
The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National...
.
Life
Born in Prague on 24 May 1938, he comes from an old artistic family. His father, Josef WagnerJosef Wagner the Younger
Josef Wagner the Younger was a Czech painter and sculptor.A pupil of Jan Štursa and Josef Mařatka, he studied sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts from 1922 to 1926. He was later a professor at the Art School in Prague...
(1901–1957), was an outstanding sculptor of the interwar and post-war eras; his mother, Marie Wagnerová–Kulhánková (1906–1983), as well as his brother, Jan Wagner (1941–2005), were also sculptors.
Josef Wagner studied architecture at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design
Academy of Fine Arts in Prague
The Academy of Fine Arts, Prague was founded in 1799 and is the Czech Republic's oldest art college. The school offers twelve Master's degree programs and one Doctoral program.-History:...
in Prague. After graduation he devoted himself to the designing of housing and garden architecture, photography, and scenography. For almost 30 years he had been occupied with exhibition installations as head of the Exhibition Centre of the Union of Czechoslovak Visual Artists and as a collaborator of the National Gallery in Prague
National Gallery in Prague
The National Gallery in Prague is a state-owned art gallery in Prague, Czech Republic. It is housed in different locations within the city, the largest being the Veletržní Palác....
. On his study travels he visited a number of European countries, particularly France, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece. He has been living and working in Prague.
Work
J. Wagner started painting in 1957 and permanently since 1963. In his works he was gradually concerned with the themes of Prague, particularly of HolešoviceHolešovice
Holešovice is a suburb in the north of Prague situated on a meander of the river Vltava, which makes up the main part of the district Prague 7...
and its port. In the latter half of the sixties, the themes of World War Two often appeared. After the occupation in 1968 he turned his attention also to general themes of still lifes and landscapes; dominating towers and cranes keep appearing. He created broadly conceived cycles of “Heads” (The Head of a Teacher, of Interrogator K., of Interrogator L., of a Deserter, or of an Executor of Police Orders), “Skulls”, “Honours”, or “Bestiary” (Predatory Fish, Protected Hedgehog, Cocooned Scarab Beetle, Dragon). After 1989 J. Wagner has been creating also pictures and graphics inspired by study travels to Greece, Italy, and France, as well as works reflecting contemporary world in mythical motifs or symbols of power. His works are represented in a number of both state-owned and private collections, both in the Czech Republic and abroad.
Apart from some 800 oil paintings, he is the author of a number of drawings and graphics (Grand Diploma for Graphic International Biennial Exhibition of Tuzla, 2004). He is the holder of the Award of the Czech-Bavarian Artistic Society (1994), the Award of the Masaryk Academy of Art (1997), and the Rudolph II Prize for Artistic and Cultural Activities (1997). Out of a number of exhibitions in the Czech Rep. and abroad (France, Greece, Netherlands, Switzerland, USA, Germany), the following may be pointed out: 172 Pictures and Drawings by Josef Wagner, Art Centre of Athens, Athens, Greece (1988), and Joseph Wagner rétrospective de 1958-1997, Palais Bénédicte, Fécamp, France (1999).
Exhibition Catalogues
- Josef Wagner, Pictures, Drawings. Státní galerie výtvarného umění v Chebu (State Gallery of Fine Arts in Cheb), Alšova jihočeská galerie Hluboká nad Vltavou (Aleš Gallery of South Bohemia in Hluboká nad Vltavou), Galerie Vysočiny Jihlava (The Gallery of Vysočina Region in Jihlava) 1993
- Josef Wagner–Drawings, Galerie výtvarného umění v Chebu (State Gallery of Fine Arts in Cheb), 2004-5
- Josef Wagner–Pictures and Graphics from Private Collections, Zámecký Skleník Boskovice (The Glasshouse of Boskovice Chateau) and Galerie města Trutnova (Gallery of the Town of Trutnov) 2005.
- Film document: Můj Parthenon jsou Holešovice (Holešovice is My Parthenon) (Česká televize 1997, directed by Rudolf Adler)