Odkazy k výtvarnému umění v díle Jiřího Koláře a Bohumila Hrabala
Fine Art in the Works of Jiří Kolář and Bohumil Hrabal

Summary/Abstract: Jiří Kolář (1914–2002) and Bohumil Hrabal (1914–1997), two major figures on the Czech art scene, were linked by many years of friendship, by shared moments in their lives, shared sources of inspiration, and shared aspects of their work. They were poets whose interest in fine art led them to results that enriched not only Czech literature but also world literature and the fine arts. Their literary work and their art work were intertwined. Literature led Kolář to express himself in graphic art. The visual picture led Hrabal to express himself in writing. Both men had a very strong interest in art history, and this is expressed in their works. Kolář used printed reproductions of works by famous artists as the raw material for his collages; he revived their works and transferred them into the present day as contemporary works of art. Hrabal made use of his great knowledge of art history, but felt most strongly drawn to the artists of his own day, artists of the Western world, and Czech non-establishment artists; he used works of art to learn about the world around him, to characterize external reality, and to reveal the techniques of his own work. References to art history penetrate Kolář’s and Hrabal’s works by means of collage, which they both used. The result was manylayered complex works of art going beyond individual areas of art. With their original approaches to literature and graphic art, Kolář and Hrabal thus left their mark not only in Czech cultural history but also in the cultural history of the world.

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