Sunday, December 7, 2014

Josef Lada

I don't remember the first time I saw artworks of this artist. But I love them since childhood. I had (and still have) books with his illustrations, I love postcards with his paintings. Josef Lada, painter, writer and illustrator. I bought a calendar with his illustrations to our kids last year - and I think I'll do the same this year.

Czech Christmas carols with pictures from Josef Lada

He was born in village Hrusice in central Bohemia in 1887 and many of his painting were inspired by this village. He is well-known by his illustrations of Jaroslav Hašek's book Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka (The Good Soldier Švejk), but I like his countryside illustrations and paintings more than illustrations in this book.

He wrote several books for children, including famous stories of Mikeš the cat (Kocour Mikeš) which were also filmed as short stories (večerníček, stories before bedtime). Here is a link to YouTube playlist with short stories based on Lada's books: Kocour Mikeš (Mikeš the cat), Bubáci a hastrmani (Bogies and Necks) - both in Czech.

I'm not going to write about his ancestors today. Maybe someday in future, but today I chose some of his great winter and Christmas illustrations. Because Josef Lada's pictures are part of Advent and Christmas time for me. And we have second Advent Sunday today.











7 comments:

  1. Wonderful! They remind me so much of my one Winter in Jehnedno, Bohemia, and in Slovacko, too.

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  2. Love the music to accompany as I scrolled through them. :)

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  3. I love the music also. Who is the horned figure in second picture?

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    1. Yep, the devil. St. Nicolaus, angel and devil is traditional St. Nicolaus' carolling in the evening before St. Nicolaus' day (6th December).

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  4. Thank you for sharing, these would make great Christmas cards. Would there be such a thing and where would you get them.

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  5. Thank you for sharing this. Is there some place where these Christmas songs could be purchased? I'd love to buy a CD.

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