Čertovka

Čertovka

An intimate Prague cityscape by Leopold Musil depicting Čertovka, one of the most picturesque historic locations in Prague's Malá Strana district. The identification of the subject is confirmed by the original label preserved on the reverse, bearing the artist's name and address together with the handwritten title “Čertovka”. Musil depicts the waterway in a wintry or early spring atmosphere, enclosed by historic buildings and vegetation. The water leads the viewer into the depth of the composition between houses, trees and gardens. Rather than describing the architecture meticulously, the artist constructs the scene from areas of colour and energetic strokes that merge into a convincing view of old Prague when seen from a distance. The painting is strongly impastoed. Thick layers of white, grey-blue, green, ochre and cream paint create an almost relief-like surface and give this small-format work surprising painterly strength. Particularly effective is the contrast between the cool blues of the water and sky and the warmer tones of the historic façades. Bare tree branches interrupt the solid architectural forms and introduce a lively rhythm into the composition. Leopold Musil (1920–1997) was a Czech painter and landscape artist who studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague under Ján Želibský after the Second World War. During his studies he received the Academy's second prize in 1947 and again in 1949. His oeuvre included both landscape and urban subjects and is characterised by immediate painterly handling, strong colour and frequently substantial layers of impasto. Alongside the landscapes of the Vysočina region, Prague was also a natural subject within his work. Čertovka was particularly well suited to Musil's painterly temperament, combining water, historic architecture, gardens and the irregular structure of the old city. Rather than producing a conventional picturesque view, the artist creates a highly personal interpretation of one of Malá Strana's most characteristic locations. The reverse retains Leopold Musil's original artist's label with the handwritten title “Čertovka”, information concerning the technique and further details relating to the work. Executed in oil on hardboard, the painting measures 20 × 29 cm excluding the frame and is framed. CURATOR'S TIP: Almost everyone knows Čertovka, but Musil painted it entirely in his own way. This is not a polished tourist view of Prague; instead we find thick paint, cool water, bare trees and old Malá Strana houses. Seen close up, the surface almost becomes an abstract network of strokes and textures, yet step back and suddenly you are in the heart of old Prague. The surviving original label identifying the work as “Čertovka” is a particularly attractive bonus. FOR INVESTORS: Čertovka is a highly attractive and readily identifiable Prague subject. Particularly valuable for cataloguing purposes is the surviving original artist's label bearing the title of the work. Combined with Musil's characteristic impasto technique, the exceptionally accessible starting price of CZK 3,000 makes this an interesting opportunity within the group of his paintings offered in the auction.