Milenci nad Prahou

Lovers above Prague

Karel Chaba – A Painter of Prague, Imagination and the Joy of Life Karel Chaba was one of the most distinctive representatives of Czech naïvely stylised painting in the second half of the twentieth century. His artistic identity was closely connected with Prague, whose historic architecture he transformed through imagination, bold colours and a highly individual visual language. Largely self-taught, Chaba developed his style independently of conventional academic rules. This freedom enabled him to create a unique artistic world in which architecture follows rhythm, atmosphere and imagination rather than strict perspective. Historic Prague became a colourful mosaic of towers, domes, rooftops and picturesque buildings. Chaba frequently combined recognisable city landmarks with fairy-tale and dreamlike elements, creating paintings that exist somewhere between reality and fantasy. Colour plays a central role in his work. Brilliant blues, luminous yellows, soft pinks, vivid reds and fresh greens create an optimistic and harmonious world in which familiar cityscapes acquire a magical atmosphere. His paintings appeal through their spontaneity, playfulness and ability to evoke positive emotions. Chaba's distinctive artistic signature continues to attract admirers of Czech painting and collectors seeking works with a strong visual identity and unmistakable atmosphere. ARTWORK DESCRIPTION Lovers Above Prague – When Love Floats Above the City This large-format painting by Karel Chaba, dated 2003, presents an exceptionally poetic composition in which historic Prague is transformed into a fantastic city filled with colour, light and dreamlike imagination. Beneath a brilliant blue sky stretches a fairy-tale urban landscape composed of numerous towers, church domes, colourful rooftops and picturesque buildings. A broad river flows through the city, its pale blue waters dividing the composition into several distinct planes. Bridges cross the river, while green islands and stylised trees introduce a fresh natural rhythm. The most remarkable feature of the painting is the pair of elegantly elongated human figures floating across the upper section of the sky. Rendered in soft pink and pale golden tones, their bodies appear weightless, moving through the air in a gentle, almost dance-like motion. This unusual motif transforms a traditional Prague cityscape into a romantic and imaginative narrative. Chaba creates a fascinating contrast between the solid architecture of the city and the graceful movement of the floating figures. While Prague is constructed from carefully arranged areas of colour, the figures are defined by flowing, softly modelled lines. The colour palette is exceptionally fresh. The blue sky and river form a unifying foundation, against which the yellow, pink, red and green buildings stand out vividly. Individual domes and towers resemble decorative jewels scattered across the cityscape. The composition is equally remarkable for its imaginative treatment of perspective. Prague is viewed from an elevated, almost impossible vantage point, allowing numerous architectural motifs to coexist within a harmonious whole. Buildings appear like stage scenery in a fantastic theatre, while the river creates a strong diagonal leading the viewer's eye through the painting. The smaller details are particularly charming: red onion-shaped domes, green cupolas, slender towers, blue windows and rhythmically stylised trees. These elements create the characteristic visual rhythm of Chaba's artistic world and give the painting its strong decorative appeal. The generous 100 × 80 cm format allows the rich cityscape to unfold fully while giving the floating figures an impressive presence in the upper part of the composition. The painting is signed in the lower right corner and bears a handwritten inscription on the reverse reading “Karel Chaba – OL. 2003”, identifying the artist, medium and year of execution. The work comes from the Zámecká Collection. Lovers Above Prague is a captivating combination of urban landscape, romantic symbolism and Chaba's distinctive imagination – a painting that brings colour, emotion and storytelling into any interior. CURATOR'S TIP Karel Chaba shows us a Prague that cannot be found on any map – a city above which love itself can fly. At first glance, the viewer is captivated by the richly detailed urban composition, with its countless towers, domes and colourful rooftops. Only then does the eye discover the two floating figures, which give the painting an entirely new dimension. This moment of surprise is one of the work's greatest qualities. What initially appears to be a traditional Prague cityscape becomes a romantic and imaginative narrative. The colour harmony is equally striking. The fresh blue tones of the sky and river provide an ideal background for the pastel-coloured city and the softly rendered figures. Its generous 100 × 80 cm format, 2003 date and provenance from the Zámecká Collection add further appeal for collectors. We particularly recommend this painting to admirers of Prague, collectors of Karel Chaba's work and those seeking an original artwork with emotional depth and strong decorative impact. This painting possesses a rare quality – it transports the viewer into a world where reality becomes a fairy tale and imagination rises above everyday life. FOR INVESTORS Karel Chaba occupies a distinctive position in Czech painting, having established a recognisable artistic language characterised by optimistic colour, imaginative architecture and highly individual interpretations of Prague. The present Lovers Above Prague, dated 2003, is particularly appealing for its generous 100 × 80 cm format and unusual combination of a Prague cityscape with a fantastic figurative motif. This combination offers more than a traditional view of the historic city. It introduces a distinctive narrative, romantic symbolism and a memorable visual identity. The work is signed, bears the artist's name and the year 2003 on the reverse, and comes from the Zámecká Collection. The starting price of CZK 95,000 presents an attractive opportunity to acquire a large, colourful and thematically unusual painting by Karel Chaba. For collectors of Czech modern and distinctive figurative painting, this offering combines a recognisable artistic style, impressive scale and an exceptionally engaging subject.