Joža Uprka, known for capturing the traditional garments worn by the Moravian people, consistently found the ideal opportunities to capture the festive costumes during the iconic St. Anthony’s pilgrimage. His 1894 depiction is arguably one of his most iconic. The scene (fig. 1) depicts a vast crowd gathered for the pilgrimage to Saint Anthony in Blatnice pod Svatým Antonínkem. On … Read More
A Celebrated Run Comes to a Close: The Soul of Moravia
After a nearly five-and-a-half-month run, The Soul of Moravia: Joža Uprka Reprised came to a close on Sunday, March 29 at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The exhibition brought together over 120 works from the collection of George Drost, thoughtfully organized into thematic sections that traced Uprka’s engagement with Moravian life, folk traditions, … Read More
The Painter of Surfaces: Technique and Perception in Moravian Life
Early criticism of Joža Uprka often focused on his remarkable technical skill and keen eye for visual detail, qualities that led some critics to describe him as a “painter of surfaces.” While his works were praised for their precise observation of color, texture, and form, Uprka’s great-grandson, Jan Benedik, arges that the emotional depth viewers sometimes perceive in his paintings … Read More