Karel Svolinský
Work
Work
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The focus of Svolinský's work is drawing inspired by folk traditions, [folklore](/wiki/Folklore "Folklore") and nature. In addition to drawing, he was mainly devoted to free form graphics, small\-scale graphics ([Ex libris](/wiki/Ex_Libris_%28bookplate%29 "Ex Libris (bookplate)")) and applied graphics ([posters](/wiki/Poster "Poster"), [banknotes](/wiki/Banknote "Banknote"), [postage stamps](/wiki/Postage_stamp "Postage stamp")), experimenting with graphic techniques. His typical graphic technique is woodcarve and woodcut (related to his training as a carver). He also excelled in book graphics and illustration. In addition, he designed [tapestries](/wiki/Tapestry "Tapestry"), was a successful [scenographer](/wiki/Scenographer "Scenographer") (theatre stage designer) and, above all, the author of the designs for several monumental realisations:
* 1930–1931: [stained glass](/wiki/Stained_glass "Stained glass") design for the [Schwarzenberg family](/wiki/House_of_Schwarzenberg "House of Schwarzenberg") chapel in [St. Vitus Cathedral](/wiki/St._Vitus_Cathedral "St. Vitus Cathedral") in Prague
* 1949–1954: design of the new form of the [Olomouc Astronomical Clock](/wiki/Olomouc_astronomical_clock "Olomouc astronomical clock"), in the style of [socialist realism](/wiki/Socialist_realism "Socialist realism") (in collaboration with his wife, sculptor Marie Svolinská and with [Olbram Zoubek](/wiki/Olbram_Zoubek "Olbram Zoubek"))

He had been involved in stage design since 1940, when he was invited to the [National Theatre in Prague](/wiki/National_Theatre_%28Prague%29 "National Theatre (Prague)") by conductor [Václav Talich](/wiki/V%C3%A1clav_Talich "Václav Talich") to work on [Dvořák's](/wiki/Anton%C3%ADn_Dvo%C5%99%C3%A1k "Antonín Dvořák") *Jacobin*. Later, he did guest stage design mainly for the Czech opera repertoire in Prague, as well as at the State Theatres in [Brno](/wiki/Brno "Brno"), [Olomouc](/wiki/Olomouc "Olomouc"), [Plzeň](/wiki/Plze%C5%88 "Plzeň") and other cities. He also prepared a guest production of [Janáček's](/wiki/Leo%C5%A1_Jan%C3%A1%C4%8Dek "Leoš Janáček") *[Jenůfa](/wiki/Jen%C5%AFfa "Jenůfa")* for the [Vienna State Opera](/wiki/Vienna_State_Opera "Vienna State Opera") (1968\).

Svolinský illustrated a number of books (among the most famous is the four\-volume publication *The Czech Year* by [Karel Plicka](/wiki/Karel_Plicka "Karel Plicka") and František Volf, (1944–1960\) and covers of music books (e.g. by [B. Smetana](/wiki/Bed%C5%99ich_Smetana "Bedřich Smetana"), L. Janáček, [Z. Fibich](/wiki/Zden%C4%9Bk_Fibich "Zdeněk Fibich")). In 1925, his festive print of [Mácha's](/wiki/Karel_Hynek_M%C3%A1cha "Karel Hynek Mácha") *[Máj](/wiki/M%C3%A1j "Máj")* (for which he designed an original typeface and created a number of illustrations) received a main prize at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris. He also created posters, postage stamps, [ex\-libris](/wiki/Ex_Libris_%28bookplate%29 "Ex Libris (bookplate)"), banknotes, etc. He also created a number of stained glass works, [mosaics](/wiki/Mosaic "Mosaic") and [glass paintings](/wiki/Painted_glass "Painted glass"). Since 1935 he was a member of the [Mánes Union of Fine Arts](/wiki/M%C3%A1nes_Union_of_Fine_Arts "Mánes Union of Fine Arts") and an honorary member of the Hollar group.

He is considered to be a continuator of the [Mánes](/wiki/Josef_M%C3%A1nes "Josef Mánes")–[Aleš](/wiki/Mikol%C3%A1%C5%A1_Ale%C5%A1 "Mikoláš Aleš") tradition in Czech art.


How did the tradition of Mánes-Aleš continue through Svolinský's work?