A Collection of 14 Prints
by the Czech artist
Tavik František Šimon (1877-1942)
at
The British Museum
in
 London


 

1. Bric-ŕ-brac
. 1906, Novak 53
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1949,0411.4528; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Imp

2. Pont Marie, Paris. 1908, Novak 73
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1949,0411.4527 ; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Imp

3. In Memoriam Prague. 1913, Novak 211
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1927,1210.10; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Imp

4. Early morning in Paris. 1911, Novak 171
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1912,0416.228; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Imp

5. Charles Bridge and Křižovnické náměstí. Prague. 1914, Novak 217
Department: Prints & Drawings ; Registration number: 1927,1210.9; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Imp

6. The market in Zvoleň, Slovakia.
1925, Novak 421
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1927,1210.12; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Imp

7. Puente Nuevo at Ronda, Spain.
1913, Novak 206
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1927,1210.11; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Roy

8. Charles Bridge and Hradčany. 1908, Novak 97
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1949,0411.4530; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Roy

9. First flight of the Aeroplane, Prague. 1909, Novak 106
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1912,0416.233; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Roy

10. Passerelle de L'Estacade.
1909, Novak 113
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1912,0416.232; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Roy

11. In the wind by the Sea. 1907, Novak 59
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1908,1014.336; Location: East European XXc Mounted Imp

12. New York at Night. 1927, Novak 462
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1985,1109.105; Location: East European XXc Mounted Imp

13. Stone Bridge, Prague I.
1921, Novak 359
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1927,1210.32; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Imp

14. Portrait of the sculptor Josef Mařatka.
1909, Novak 108
Department: Prints & Drawings; Registration number: 1949,0411.4529; Location: East European XXc Unmounted Roy

 

1. Bric-ŕ-brac. 1906, Novak 53



Object types:
print
Materials: paper
Techniques: soft-ground etching, colour, aquatint
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1906
Schools /Styles: French; Czechoslovakian
Description:
Woman leaning against shop doorway, some furniture and goods displayed outside on pavement and wall. 1906.
Colour soft-ground etching and aquatint, printed predominantly in brown, green, red and black, on oriental paper
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram on plate. Signed and numbered 67.
Dimensions:
Height: 346 millimetres
Width: 445 millimetres
Subject: shop
Acquisition date: 1949
Acquisition name: Bequeathed by Campbell Dodgson (see below on this page)

2. Pont Marie, Paris. 1908, Novak 73



Object types:
print
Materials: paper
Techniques: soft-ground etching, colour, aquatint
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1908
Schools /Styles: French, Czechoslovakian
Description:
Houseboats moored along riverside, bridge beyond. 1908.
Colour soft-ground etching and aquatint, printed predominantly in grey, green, brown and black, on oriental paper
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram on plate. Signed and numbered 145.
Dimensions:
Height: 440 millimetres
Width: 375 millimetres
Subject: canal scene
Associated places:
Topographic representation of Seine, River
Topographic representation of Paris
Acquisition date: 1949
Acquisition name: Bequeathed by Campbell Dodgson (see below on this page)

3. In Memoriam Prague. 1913, Novak 211



Object types:
print
Materials: paper
Techniques: etching
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1913
Schools /Styles: French; Czechoslovakian
Description:

View along street with men clearing rubble from ruined buildings in foreground, castle on hill beyond. 1913.
Etching, printed in brown
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed in pencil. Bears red artist's monogram stamp. Verso bears artist's name and titled.
Dimensions:
Height: 325 millimetres
Width: 388 millimetres
Associated places:
Topographic representation of Czechoslovakia
Acquisition date: 1927
Acquisition name: Donated by Czechoslovakia

4. Early morning in Paris. 1911, Novak 171



Object types:
print
Materials: paper
Techniques: etching, colour, aquatint
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1911
Schools /Styles: French, Czechoslovakian
Description:
Street scene in Paris with Notre Dame Cathedral beyond, men by cart in foreground. 1911.
Colour etching and aquatint, printed in black, grey, green, brown and red, on oriental paper
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram and dated on plate. Signed in pencil.
Dimensions:
Height: 248 millimetres
Width: 269 millimetres
Subject: street-scene, church
Associated places:
Topographic representation of Paris
Acquisition date: 1912
Acquisition name: Purchased from Dulau & Co (see below on this page)

5. Charles Bridge and Křižovnické náměstí. Prague. 1914, Novak 217

                    
 

Object types: print
Materials: paper
Techniques: etching
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1914
Schools /Styles: French, Czechoslovakian
Description:
View along length of bridge, carts passing and people stopping at sides, town beyond. 1914.
Etching
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram on plate. Signed in pencil. Bears red artist's monogram stamp.
Verso titled and numbered 209.
Dimensions:
Height: 316 millimetres
Width: 377 millimetres
Subject: bridge
Associated places:
Topographic representation of Prague
Acquisition date: 1927
Acquisition name: Donated by Czechoslovakia

6. The market in Zvoleň, Slovakia. 1925, Novak 421

Object types: print
Materials: paper
Techniques: soft-ground etching, colour
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1925
Schools /Styles: French, Czechoslovakian
Description:
View along street lined with market stalls, church behind at left. 1925
Colour soft-ground etching
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed and numbered 82. Bears green artist's monogram stamp.
Verso annotated with artist's name and titled.
Dimensions:
Height: 350 millimetres
Width: 368 millimetres
Subject: market
Associated places:
Topographic representation of Zvolen
Acquisition date: 1927
Acquisition name: Donated by Czechoslovakia

7. Puente Nuevo at Ronda, Spain. 1913, Novak 206

Object types: print
Materials: paper
Techniques: etching
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1913
Schools /Styles: Czechoslovakian
Description:
Bridge built into depth of steep-sided valley. 1913
Etching
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram, dated and annotated: "Ronda" on plate. Signed and numbered: "24". Bears red stamp with artist's monogram.
Dimensions:
Height: 338 millimetres
Width: 235 millimetres
Subject: bridge
Associated places:
Topographic representation of Ronda
Acquisition date: 1927
Acquisition name: Donated by Czechoslovakia

8. Charles Bridge and Hradčany. 1908, Novak 97

Object types: print
Materials: paper
Techniques: etching
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1908
Schools /Styles: Czechoslovakian
Description:
View across river beside bridge, city beyond. 1908
Etching, printed in green-brown ink
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram and dated on plate. Signed and numbered 25/50.
Bears red stamp with artist's monogram.
Dimensions
Height: 257 millimetres
Width: 328 millimetres
Subject: bridge
Associated places:
Topographic representation of Prague
Acquisition date: 1949
Acquisition name:
Bequeathed by Campbell Dodgson (see below on this page)

9. First flight of the Aeroplane, Prague. 1909, Novak 106

Object types: print
Materials: paper
Techniques: etching
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1909
Schools /Styles: Czechoslovakian
Description:
Crowd gathered watching bi-plane flying overhead. 1909
Etching, printed in brown, on oriental paper
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram on plate. Signed in pencil.
Dimensions:
Height: 164 millimetres
Width: 193 millimetres
Acquisition date: 1912
Acquisition name:
Purchased from Dulau & Co (see below on this page)

10. Passerelle de l'Estacade. 1909, Novak 113

Object types: print
Materials: paper
Techniques: etching
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1909
Schools /Styles: Czechoslovakian
Description:

View of riverside and snowy landscape, figures crossing wooden bridge. 1909
Etching, on oriental paper
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram and dated on plate. Signed in pencil.
Dimensions:
Height: 178 millimetres
Width: 235 millimetres
Acquisition date: 1912
Acquisition name:
Purchased from Dulau & Co (see below on this page)

11. In the Wind by the Sea. 1907, Novak 59

Object types: print
Materials: paper
Techniques: etching
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1907
Schools /Styles: Czechoslovakian
Description:
Groups of figures and dog on beach in blustery weather, watching few bathers in sea. 1907
Etching, printed in brownish ink, on oriental paper
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram and dated on plate. Signed and dated.
Dimensions:
Height: 248 millimetres
Width: 319 millimetres
Curator's comments:
See Irena Goldscheider, 'Czechoslovak Prints from 1900 to 1970', (Exhibition Catalogue), BMP, 1986, no.11.
Subject: beach scene
Acquisition date:
1908
Acquisition name: Purchased from Dulau & Co (see below on this page)

12. New York at Night. 1927, Novak 462

Object types: print
Materials: paper
Techniques: etching, colour
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1927
Schools /Styles: Czechoslovakian
Description:

View along busy street with banners above and searchlight on tower block. 1927
Colour etching
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram on plate. Signed, titled, stamped with monogram and numbered 139.
Dimensions:
Height: 438 millimetres
Width: 335 millimetres
Curator's comments:
See Irena Goldscheider, 'Czechoslovak Prints from 1900 to 1970', (Exhibition Catalogue), BMP, 1986, no.12.
Šimon had visited New York, among the many cities of which he made colour prints.
Subject: street-scene
Associated places: Topographic representation of New York
Acquisition date: 1985
Acquisition name:
Donated by British Museum Friends (see below on this page)

13. Stone Bridge, Prague I. 1921, Novak 359

Object types: print
Materials: paper
Techniques: woodcut, colour
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1921
Schools /Styles: French, Czechoslovakian
Description:
View of bridge with figures and carts passing, statue of Christ being lowered from Cross in foreground. 1921
Colour woodcut, printed in black and yellow ochre, on oriental paper
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed on block. Signed and numbered 79. Bears red artist's monogram stamp. Verso titled.
Dimensions:
Height: 345 millimetres
Width: 467 millimetres
Subject: bridge
Associated names: Representation of Jesus Christ
Associated places: Topographic representation of Prague
Acquisition date: 1927
Acquisition name:
Donated by Czechoslovakia

14. Portrait of the sculptor Josef Mařatka. 1909, Novak 108

Object types: print
Materials: paper
Techniques: soft-ground etching, etching
Production person: Print made by Frantisek Šimon
Date: 1909
Schools /Styles: Czechoslovakian
Description:
Head of bearded man, almost in profile to left, study of statue below. 1909
Soft-ground etching and etching, printed in brown
Inscriptions:
Inscription Content: Signed with monogram and dated on plate. Signed, numbered: "7" and titled in another hand(?).
Bears red stamp with artist's monogram. Verso numbered: "5" in ink.
Dimensions:
Height: 262 millimetres
Width: 193 millimetres
Associated names: Portrait of Mařatka
Acquisition date: 1949
Acquisition name: Bequeathed by Campbell Dodgson (see below on this page)

Biographical details offered by the British Museum


Frantisek Šimon (Czech male printmaker, 1877 - 1942)

Bibliography
Arthur Novak, 'Seznam Grafickych Pracu T F Šimon a', 1937
(An English translation of Novak's catalogue raisonne is at http://www.tfsimon.com /index1.htm  - it adds much more prints to the 626 in Novak).

Biography
Printmaker. Studied in Prague at Akademie výtvarných umení (Academy of Fine Arts, 1894-1900) with M.Pirner. Travelled to Yugoslavia, Italy in 1902 and to Paris in 1903 with H. Boettinger; remained in Paris 1904-1914, during which time he visited Spain, England, Morocco; in 1926-7 travelled around the world. Became a member of 'SVU Mánes' in 1898, 'Hollar' in 1917, 'Societé de la gravure en couleurs' in Paris,1906 and the 'Royal Society of Painters' in London, 1910.
From 1928, teacher of printmaking at the Academy in Prague.
Also known as:  Šimon , Tavik Frantisek

Campbell Dodgson : British male curator, 1867 - 1948
Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum, 1912-32, having joined the department in 1893.
Bibliography: Frances Carey, "Campbell Dodgson (1867-1948)", in Antony Griffiths (ed.), 'Landmarks in Print Collecting', (London: British Museum Press, 1996) and Frances Carey in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Lugt 521bis (bequest), Lugt 521
Dulau & Co: British print dealer and publisher of travel and anthropological texts; also published woodcuts by Gauber (q.v.).
Address: 37 Soho Square, London
British Museum Friends (BMF)
Founded as the British Museum Society in the 1970s. Changed name to the British Museum Friends as from the beginning of 2000.
The Townley Group within the BM Friends makes additional contributions to support particular projects and acquisitions. Acquisitions supported by the Townley Group should be recorded in the Comment field for British Museum Friends.
References to special running funds should be entered in Acquisition Name Comment field.

 

NOTA BENE:
1. the text above is from of the BM, but we made some corrections (titles, dates);
2. the photo of the BM is from 1890-1900;
3. Josef Mařatka (*Prague 21-05-1874 - + Prague, Břevnov 20-04-1937) was Czech sculptor.
He made all the difference to the character of the sculpture of Czechoslovakia, for he not only spent three years in Rodin's studio and assisted him with several important works, but he arranged, in 1903, the first Rodin exhibition in Prague. He was at home not only in Rodin's studio in the rue de l`Université, but at Meudon, too, and in this way, in 1904, his first important works were issued with Rodin's imprimatur. On leaving the Master, and by his influence, he obtained the commission for the Santos-Dumont monument for Buenos Aires. He returned to Prague and became the collaborator of Stanislas Sucharda in the execution of part of the Palacky memorial. He then went again to Paris to finish the Santos-Dumont model. Bourdelle, keen as always, was interested in the struggle of the Czechs and Slovaks, and, in 1909, a Bourdelle exhibition was held in Prague, which also had its definite influence on the future of Czechoslovakian sculpture. Although Mařatka's association with Rodin, Bourdelle and others was so close, his work does not offer definite resemblances : he himself was too definitely an original artist to be so affected. His Souvenir, a nude woman sitting sideways, shows the sculptor's sufficiency in form ; his portrait-bust of Antonin Dvorak, the composer, in character, while his Intelligence, a draped female figure, exhibited at the Salon d'Automne in 1914, displays his idea of womanly grace. The statues at the entrance to the Town Hall at Prague are by Mařatka, as well as figures on the top storey ; two granite bas-reliefs are on the Rudolphinum bridge, the subjects being Commerce and Work ; he has made a monument to Hlavka at Prague, and there are statues on the Maison Corn- munale there. At the Czechoslovak exhibition at Paris in 1920, Mařatka was represented by a bronze statuette of a Young Mother, Legionnaire Tchecoslovaque, Un Tchecoslovaque blessé, Symphony, and A Souvenir, and another work of his, seen at the Salon, was a bust of Santos-Dumont. At Venice, in 1920, he had a group of four bronzes, including the bust of Dvorak. Mařatka brought back to his native land the culture of France, and he showed the younger men what they could gain by following his example.


 

T.F. Šimon (F.Šimon ), Hugo Boettinger and Bohunil Kafka visited the museum in 1905.





Josef Mařatka.
Bronze, height 19cm.
 

 







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