The motto ‘Life is joy’ has long been synonymous with Czech painter Vlastimil Košvanec. The simple phrase succinctly captures his personal and creative philosophy: a positive outlook on the world, the lightness of being and an exuberant delight in colour, landscape, music and the beauty of everyday moments. “As I delved deeper into his paintings, I realised that this motto was far more than just a hollow phrase,” says Giuseppe Franzoni. “It is the true key to his body of work. Košvanec painted joy – joy found in colour, in light, and in the sheer beauty of life itself. And it was this very joy that needed to be rediscovered.”
🖊 Ivana Bednářová | archiv Guiseppe Frazoni
THE RETURN OF A FORGOTTEN MASTER
Košvanec was renowned for his vibrant colours, optimistic motifs and the contagious energy he infused into both his canvases and the people around him.
In the art world, it is a rare occurrence for a single person to dedicate decades of their life to restoring the legacy of an almost forgotten artist. Yet, this is exactly the bond shared by Košvanec and the Italian collector and patron, Giuseppe Franzoni.
Franzoni discovered Košvanec’s work by chance in Paris in the early 1990s. He was instantly captivated by the technical brilliance of the colours, the masterful handling of light and the psychological depth of the portraits.
“It was a fateful encounter,” Franzoni recalls. “I saw a painting by an unknown author, yet the quality was undeniable. I knew I was standing before a great master. At the same time, I felt a sense of injustice – how was it possible that such a name had almost vanished from art history?”
That chance encounter blossomed into a lifelong mission: to restore Košvanec to his rightful place within the European art scene.
As the president of the Museo Martinengo Villagana, Franzoni began systematically building a representative collection of the artist’s work. A 2011 exhibition achieved remarkable success. This was followed a year later by a prestigious presentation at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence. Further acclaim followed in 2014 at the Czech Centre in Milan, and later at the Fortezza del Priamar in Savona.
In 2015, the exhibition journeyed to Prague, where it was bolstered by ten additional works from the National Museum’s collection. Symbolically, the painter who died almost forgotten had finally returned home, wrapped in international recognition.
“For me, Prague is the culmination of this journey,” Franzoni adds. “It is a homecoming. It is the return of a name that should never have been forgotten.”
FROM MATHEMATICS TO PAINTING
Born on 14 December 1887 in Karlín to a glove-maker and seamstress, Košvanec’s path was not initially set in stone. Following his studies at a lyceum, he enrolled at Charles University to study mathematics and physics, even engaging with Einstein’s theories.
However, his latent talent was spotted by painters Vlaho Bukovac and Vojtěch Hynais, who encouraged his enrolment at the Academy of Fine Arts. He soon received a scholarship from the Hlávka Foundation and rapidly emerged as one of the most distinguished students of his generation, eventually winning the National Painting Prize. His style navigated the spaces between realism, impressionism, post-impressionism and symbolism. Study trips across Italy, France, Germany and the Balkans further broadened his visual language and cultural horizons.
AN ILLUSTRATOR OF THE ERA AND A WITNESS TO POLITICS
Beyond his fine art, Košvanec established himself as a prominent illustrator and caricaturist, acting as
a keen witness to the political landscape of his time. He illustrated the works of Jaroslav Hašek, author of The Good Soldier Švejk, and his work also appeared alongside avant-garde figures such as Václav Špála and Karel Teige.
As a member of the Umělecká beseda, he was part of an intellectual elite that brought international figures like Giorgio de Chirico and Carlo Carrà to Prague.
THE PORTRAIT MASTER OF THE INTER-WAR PERIOD
Košvanec became the most sought-after portraitist of inter-war Prague. His studio at Královka was frequented by the bourgeoisie, aristocracy and political elite – including President Edvard Beneš.
His paintings from the 1930s depicting elegant women in the gardens of Petřín, set against the backdrop of Prague Castle or Lesser Town, are a visual celebration of life. Here, the motto ‘Life is joy’ takes on its purest form: the joy of colour, light, movement, feminine beauty and the city itself.
In 1939, he held a successful solo exhibition, which was even attended by Oskar Kokoschka.
FALL, ISOLATION AND A SECOND LIFE
However, the events of the war and the post-war era shattered his career. Accusations of collaboration, a trial in 1947, imprisonment and subsequent social isolation marked the definitive end of his public life. Following the death of his wife in 1949, he suffered a nervous breakdown. He spent the final years of his life in poverty and obscurity, passing away in November 1961.
“Art can be silenced, it can be trampled, it can be erased from memory for a time,” Franzoni concludes. “But if it is born of genius, it never truly dies. Košvanec is the living proof of that.”
2026 – AN EXCEPTIONAL BOOK IS RELEASED ON VLASTIMIL KOŠVANEC
Today, the work of a painter whose output transcends the boundaries of his era and his country is once again entering the European art context. Although the joy that his life and art bring may be silenced, it cannot be erased – and the current resurgence of interest confirms this.
The publication is authored by the Italian art historian Giuseppe Franzoni, who has dedicated a significant portion of his professional life to Košvanec and remains one of his greatest admirers and scholars.
The book will be ceremonially presented and launched by Giuseppe Franzoni in person in May 2026 in Mariánské Lázně, offering readers a profound insight into the life and work of this exceptional artist.
Key modern exhibitions
(initiated by Giuseppe Franzoni):
• 2011 – Museo Martinengo Villagana
• 2012 – Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Florence
• 2014 – Czech Centre Milan
• next – Fortezza del Priamar, Savona
•
2015 – Prague (exhibition extended with works from the National Museum collections)
– Czech Centre, Italian Cultural Institute, Smetana Museum
•
2026 – publication of a book on Vlastimil Košvanec by Giuseppe Franzoni
