Jakub Obrovský

Jakub Obrovský (1882-1949) was a Czechoslovak artist, painter and sculptor, and also a writer. His work sits between Symbolism and Academicism. Born in Brno-Bystrc, he trained at the School of Applied Arts in Prague under Celda Klouček, E. K. Liška and Stanislav Sucharda (1897-1901), and then at the Academy of Fine Arts under Max Pirner (1901-1905).

In 1919 he became a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, and later served as its rector. In his paintings he favored female figures, while in sculpture he often modelled athletes. He designed some of the early stamps of the new Republic of Czechoslovakia, including the lion escaping its chains (1919) and the allegory of economy (1920). At the 1932 Olympic art competitions he won a bronze medal for Czechoslovakia with his work "Odysseus".

He died in Prague in 1949. His daughter, Jana Obrovská (1930-1987), became a noted Czech composer.