Lot 82

Bohumil Kafka (1878 - 1942) DR KAREL KRAMÁŘ

During World War I, Bohumil Kafka’s patriotic sentiments grew stronger. In 1917, when the Czech politicians Dr. Karel Kramář and Dr. Alois Rašín—who had been sentenced to death for high treason—were released from a Vienna prison, he sculpted their profile portraits as medallions. As early as 1918, these portraits were reduced to a diameter of 55 mm and struck in gold, silver, and silver-plated white metal. The offered plaque of Dr. Karel Kramář is a larger bronze version intended for hanging on a wall. The work on offer comes from the artist’s estate at the famous Kafka Villa in Prague 6 – Ořechovka.  Published: Kafka, Bohumil and Wittlich, Petr. Bohumil Kafka: (1878–1942): The Story of a Sculptor. Prague: Karolinum, 2014, p. 172.