Tavik Franti
Šek Šimon
(1877-1942)


 
Photos, Postcards, Letters, Newspapers
 
 
PHOTOS



T. F. Šimon (in the middle), Max(imilian) Svabinsky (2nd row, to the right) and Richard Lauda (left of TFS),
together with a group (probably students from the Art-academy in Prague). Around 1899.

 


Young portrait of  T.F. Šimon.
 



T.F. Šimon and his father Antonin Šimon (Rovensko 1835 - Mseno 1912).
 


T.F. Šimon (circa 1900) in a hat.
 

Dvorak-Iljev-Csordak-Kalvoda-Plaske-Minarik-Lebeda(sitting)-Kavan-Chrestov- (ca. 1894).
T.F. Šimon is not within this group, but it shows important Czech artists like Dvorak, Kalvoda, Lebeda and Kavan.

 


 


 

T.F. Šimon in a hat




Hugo Boettinger (pseudonim Dr. Desiderius),
Antonin Ruzicka, T.F. Šimon.
 


 


Hugo Boettinger, T.F. Šimon
and Antonin Ruzicka.
 


T.F. Šimon standing in front of his oilpainting:
Girl with Harp (1898-1899- 96,5x143,5cm).
This oil painting was to see in the exhibition
 
'Bytosi Odnikud' (Beings from Nowhere).
Prague City Gallery-Municipal Library, 2008/2009.
 


Hugo Boettinger with umbrella and ?
London.1905.
 

T.F. Šimon in his atelier in Paris with Hugo Boettinger and Bohumil Kafka.1905.
 


Luxembourg Garden in Paris
Hugo Boettinger (left).
 

Luxembourg Garden in Paris
T.F. Šimon (left).


Hugo Boettinger (right).
Strimpl in the middel?
 

Luxembourg Garden in Paris.
T.F. Šimon , ?, and Hugo Boettinger.
 

 





Richard Lauda, Hugo Boettinger and TFS.
 In Šimon 's atelier in Paris.
 
The following 4 photos were taken by the artist in Amsterdam.


Gelderse Kade


Leliestraat/ Egelantiersgracht
 

 



TFS and his brother Robert.
(Czech photographer and journalist).

 



 



Jan Stenc, Preissler, Spaniel
On the tower of Notre-Dame/Paris.

 


Robert Šimon, his wife Marie,
their two children and his father
Antonin Šimon and Rozalie Simon.
(Antonin's second wife).



Antonin and Rozalie Šimon (1911)


Vilma Šimon, Eva & Roza, and Hugo Boettinger. Circa 1912.
 


Vilma, daughter Eva,
Hugo Boettinger and TF Šimon.


 

 

 

 

 

Vilma & TFS



T.F. Šimon in his house in Paris.
On the wall a small painting,
showing Court du Dragon.
 

Vilma & TFS. Circa 1912.


T.F Š. In the house in Paris.
 

Vilma looking at photographs.


T.F.Š in the atelier.

 


TFS with his son Kamil
(*Paris 1906 - † 5 septembre 1912)
 


Vilma Šimon facing the mirror.
 

T.F.Š


 
At Stefanik's house in Paris:
Left: (standing) Stefanik, Jezina Strimpl, Vilma Simon, Bohumil Kafka, Mario Korbel (?), woman (?), (standing) Strimpl and T.F.Š with a book in his hands.


Three Czech painters:
Jan Honsa, TFŠ, and Richard Lauda.

 


Rue Humboldt 25, Paris.
Šimon's family house and atelier.
 


T.F. Šimon. Circa 1912.

T.F. Šimon with Hugo Boettinger and Richard Lauda. Circa 1912.
 

TFS, Hugo Boettinger and Richard Lauda. Ca. 1912.
In Šimon 's atelier, Paris.
 

In the atelier in Paris, ca. 1912. enlarge
 


 

Marseille, ca.1913.
This photo is taken by T.F.Šimon.
 

Vilma Šimon and daughter Eva.
 Tangier, 1913.


Vilma and Eva.
Tangier, 1913.
 


 
Tangier, 1913.
This photo is taken by T.F.Šimon.

Richard Lauda, T.F.Šimon , Hugo Boettinger,  Eva & Vilma Šimon &
the painter Jan Honsa. Circa 1913.
 


The Czech painter Jan Honsa.
 


Vilma Šimon with her son Ivan (1914-2009),
Josef Kracik (brother of Vilma),
 and daughter Eva in the house in Paris. Ca.1914.
 

You can see on the photo on the left sight an oil painting by Šimon on the wall. "Interior of my house in Paris", oil on canvas (1909).
 

Postcard sent by Robert to his brother T.F. Šimon.
Marie-Robert-T.F. Šimon.
Two daughters of Robert and
TF 's daughter Eva in the middle.


 

TFS and Ruzena  Kratina. Ruzena Kratina  was a sister of Vilma Šimon , mother of Lydia Kratina who married Koloman Sokol (*1902 Liptovský Mikuláš; † 2003 Tucson, USA).
On board of a ship during the Šimon 's Worldtravel.
 


T.F. Šimon and the Japanese female artist Kato Guikia. Kamakura, near Yokohama. In front of the Kamakura Daibutsu, 13th century bronze statue of Amida Buddha.

 




 


Japan. Invitation to an exhibition.
 



T F Šimon at the
Japanese Gates of Tori in Kyoto.



 


 

 
Cyril Bouda, Mario Stretti (son of Jaromir Stretti-Zamponi), Ivan Šimon (son of TFS, 1914-2009), T F Šimon , Eva  Šimon (daughter of TFS) and Pavel Šimon (artist, son of TFS). Circa 1930.
 


 
 
?, Krajc, Lydia Kratina - Daughter of  Josef Kratina, student of T F Šimon , born in USA (1908), niece of Vilma Šimon, married (1933) the Slovak painter and graphic artist Koloman Sokol, (*1902 Liptovský Mikuláš; † 2003 Tucson, USA) Uráz, Bzoch, T.F. Šimon, Cyril Bouda (behind TFS), Koloman Sokol, Pukl, Binka Vazova?. 1931.
 


 



 

?, ?, ?, Lydia Kratinova, Emil Kotrba, Binka Vazova,
Ada(?) Wenig, ?, Polašek, ?,
T F Šimon, Krajc(?), Cyril Bouda.
 


 
Josef Kratina, Czech sculptor.
Married to Ruzena (Rose) Kracik,
Simon's brother in law. Student of Rodin, Paris.
Emigrated to USA/ New York in 1907.
 

Victor Stretti, Frantisek  Kobliha and T.F.Šimon 1935.
 


Hybal?,  T. F. Šimon , Antonin Mayer, Frantisek Kobliha.

 

 


Left: Dr. K.Tondl, Jan Konupek, Victor Stretti, T.F. Šimon , Method Kalab, Arthur Novak. Hollar Exhibition in Obecni Dum in Prague, 1933.
 


Burghardt, T.F. Šimon,
and Jaromir Stretti-Zamponi?

Antonin Mayer, Victor Stretti, Kobliha and T.F.Šimon.1935.
 

The Czech artists Frantisek Kobliha, Vojtech Preissig and Antonin Mayer.
(V. Preissig * 1873 Teplice/ Bohemia, + Dachau 1944).
 

Victor Stretti, T.F.Šimon , ? , Arthur Novak, and ?. In the artist's house in Bubenec. On the background Šimon 's oilpaintings. Ca. 1938.
 


 


T.F. Šimon at work in his house in Bubenec/Prague. (1932).
 


T.F. Šimon in Normandy.
 


Beach of Fécamp in Normandy.
 


 T.F.Š and son Pavel in a Czech town.


T.F.Š and son Ivan.


 

T.F. Šimon on a market square making a sketch.
 





1936


Whole article
 


On the occasion of Simon's 50th birthday,
Society Hollar, 1937.
Writer unknown
 


Jan Preisler Exhibition in Hradec Kralové
 

Photo portrait of Robert Šimon (brother of TFS). Czech photographer and journalist.
 


T.F. Šimon and the artist Kuba.
 


 


 Robert Šimon
+ Prague April 11, 1943


T. F. Šimon. Circa 1940.
On the background artworks of different artists.
 


T. F. Šimon. Circa 1940.
 


 


T. F. Šimon.
Exhibition of artworks by the artist Hugo Boettinger.
On the wall a selfportrait by Boettinger.




 


House of birth of the artist
(nowadays a Library)
Restauration, circa 2007
Železnice



"Here is born the academic Painter and Graphical artist
Professor T F
Šimon,
13.5.1877 - 19.12.1942
 


 
POSTCARDS


Postcard showing the town Mseno (region of Kokorin).
Sent by TFS to Hugo Boettinger (08-1899).
 


 


Postcard sent by FS to Hugo Boettinger.
From the coast of Dubrovnik April 1900.
 


Reverse of the postcard with stamps.
 


Postcard sent 19-05-1900 by TFS from Cattaro/ Kotor,
to Hugo Boettinger, Rosetti, H. Zeiler, J. Benęs-.
 


Reverse of the postcard.


Postcard sent by FS
from Cattaro/ Kotor (14-05-1900) to
Hugo Boettinger and Antonin Ruzicka.
 


Reverse of the postcard.



 




 


Postcard from Venice
 to Boettinger, 28-06-1900.
 



 





Postcard from Vienna to B., sent 21-02-1901.


FS did send this postcard to Boettinger
from Dresden (Germany), 09-10-1901.

 



Postcard from FS to B., Berlin 10-1901.
Simon visited the Museum "National-Galerie".
 


 


Postcard from Venice to B., 03-09-1902
 


 


Postcard sent by TFS from
Kokorin (written 26-12-1902) to Boettinger.
 


Posted in Mseno 27-12-1902.
Arrived in Prague (Vinohrady) 28-12-1902.


 

 


Postcard sent by TFS from Paris
to his fiancée Vilma Kracik.
October 8, 1903.




Postcard from Stuttgart
from TFS and Ferdinand Michl to B..
It was written and posted in
Stuttgart on 22-02-1904.
This is the day that Simon arrived in Paris,
where he lived for ten years.
 



TFS did send the postcard to B.
at the day of his arrival in Paris.
Posted 22-02 in Paris.
Postcard arrived in Prague, 24-02-1904.
 



Postcard sent by FS(imon). Le Treport (1904).

 


Postcard sent by FS(imon) from Paris
to Hugo Boettinger?? 1904.
 



Postcard from Paris sent to B., 28-03-1904.
Soup Kitchen, Les Halles.



Postcard written by FS(imon) from Paris.

 



Postcard sent to Hugo Boettinger

Kral. Vinohrady(Prague), 01.05.1904.
'Karikatura'
Author: Artu
š Scheiner
Jan Stenc (left), Stanislav Sucharda, Artuš Scheiner, Jan Kotera, & Vladimir Zupansky.
 


Signatures a.o. by:
A.Böklin, Kafka, Rudolf Kepl, B.Kotera, R.Lauda,
Preissler, F.Šimon , J.Stenc, Franz Stück, Svabinsky.
 


Postcard sent by FS(imon) from Paris
to Hugo Boettinger, 09-04-1904.

 


Reverse of the postcard München.
Prague/ Bohemia-Austria.


Postcard sent to Hugo Boettinger.
Le Havre (coast of France), 28-06-1904.

 


Reverse of the postcard.


Postcard to B. from Fécamp/ Normandy-30-06-1904.
 



Postcard from Ault-Onival, 28-07-1904
Coast of Normandy (France).
Sent to Hugo Boettinger.
 


Postcard from Ault-Onival
Address: Rue de la Peche No. 20.

 


Postcard. Coast of Ault-Onival.
 


Postcard. Beach of Onival.


Postcard to B. from Stuttgart (Germany), 02-11-1904.
 



 



Postcard from Krakow to B., 04-07-1905.
 


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


 


Postcard to B. from Paris, Mi-caręme 28-03-1906.
 


 


Postcard sent to B. from Gand-Gent (Belgium), 27-08-1906.
The image shows the ruins of St. Bavon in Gent.



 


Postcard from Paris sent to Rudolf Kepl , 1906.
 



 


Postcard to B, 14-05-1907.
8 days to go before Mauclair arrives!
Drawing in pencil: Charles Bridge of Prague..

 


Postcard from Venice to B., 15-08-1907.



 



London 1908.



Postcard from T.F.Šimon sent to Hugo Boettinger.
 


Krim
 


Postcard (1909) sent to Hugo Boettinger from Scheveningen  (Holland). It is a beautiful country, just made for painters, will send you the print right away. All others that I had with me were taken in commission by Mr. Richter from Dresden.
Translation mr. Ivan Simon, 2003.


Right) Postcard (1912) sent to Hugo Boettinger. The photo shows 'Bagijnenhofje" in Amsterdam.



Dear Hugo, brother Robert wrote to me that you came to the grave of my old father, which shows your true kindness of friendship. Thank you my friend for your condolence.
I will stay in Amsterdam only a few days. I will travel further to Utrecht. I am restless and it is lonely here.
 


 


 




Postcard showing the Cheese market of Alkmaar.
(The reverse is unwritten).


Postcard sent to Boettinger from Chartres.
12-03-1911.
 


Also signed by
Spaniel and Nebesky and ?.


Postcard showing Auray.
 Sent to Boettinger from the town Quiberon
 01-08-1911.
 


Postcard from Granada
30-05-1913.


 


Postcard (18-04-1913) from Tanger (Morocco).
Sent to Hugo Boettinger.
 
  Dear Hugo, we went to Tanger after all and we don't regret it since it is marvellous, truly biblical world of Arabs and Muslims of Africa here. These are the most spectacular impressions during our trip - whole Spain is nothing and "swindle" beside this. One feels completely out of Europe and like in the days of Christ here. I think that India cannot give more. Sincere regards from us all.
Tanger 18/IV. 1913 The Simons.

Translation: Zbynek Svoboda.
 


 


 


Postcard sent to Hugo Boettinger
/Zbraslav, Ottova villa. 07-09-1914.
 


Postcard. New York, Storm King Highway.


This postcard sent
from New York to Hugo Boettinger, 18-09-1926.
 


Simon went to the Niagara Waterfalls and Buffalo.

 


Postcard from Detroit where the artist visited
his brother Anthony, who signed this card also
and send greetings from his family to B.
 


Postcard from New York to B.,
Hotel Pennsylvania, NY 31-10-1926.
 



Postcard from TFS to his young son Pavel Šimon.

 



Postcard from TFS to his young son Pavel Šimon. 22-05-1927.


 


Dear, we got to Amsterdam in the best comfort, good shape and beautiful weather. We are doing well and we have already seen half of Holland (Haarlem, Leiden, Zandvoort etc.) using consul‘s car. We’ll drive to Haag tomorrow and then, in the evening, by boat to London. Warm greetings and kisses, Your Daddy
Translation Zbynek Svoboda: February 2 - 2018. 

LETTERS & ESSAYS


Letter to his parents.
Douba. December 3, 1889.


Dear parents, I was very pleased to receive those things and therefore I thank you for them. However I must also write to you that it is a phoney lie that I roam with that Prague boy, firstly we are not allowed to roam with him and secondly I will not roam with him because he is a real rascal. We got prohibition from the school to roam with him but somebody wanted to deal with me and said this lie. However nobody can say now that I was on the street because I have no time for rambling, we will receive the final report in 14 days so we must learn. I have only 5 free days for Christmas holidays from Wednesday to Monday. I plan to come but if the weather would be the same as now then we would have to do it in some other way. I have not received anything from Prague yet. I have nothing else to write than I am well and I don’t need anything. Father and Mother greet (...?..) you.
Your sincere son František
Translation: Zbynek Svoboda. February 10 - 2018.


 



Letter to H. Boettinger, 21-10-1899.
Page 1 & 4.
 


Letter to H. Boettinger, 21-10-1899.
Page 2 & 3.
 




Letter to Boettinger.
27-08-1900
.


 


Original drawing/ mixed.
Letter sent from Onival/ Normandy
to Hugo Boettinger, 1904.
 


Original drawing in ink.
Letter sent from Prague
to Vilma Kracik, 1904.
 




A letter from TFS to Vilma
London, 1905
.
English translation by
 Zbynek Svoboda.
 


A letter from the artist 
Frantisek Kupka to T F Šimon,




Letter from the
Victoria & Albert Museum.
1910.

Membership of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers- and Engravers. London. 1910.


 



 

 

29-08-1913
Letter to Simon



Letter to TFS.
Bubenec/ Prague 03-12-1926.
Page 1
 





 


Page 2 & 3.
 



 







Page 4.

Hugo Boettinger, Victor Stretti, Antonin Mayer?,
Frantisek Kobliha, Arthur Novak,
A.J. Alexe, Jaromir Stretti-Zamponi,
Rambousek, Method Kalab,
Ano Naumann, Petr Dillinger, Sil?
 


Letter from TFS to his son Pavel
January 3, 1927
 
  The "Suwa Maru" ship 3.1.1927
My dear Paulie, Thank you for your nice compliment, it made me happy. I see how well you can write already and certainly also read. You will make me happy when I come back, if I would be able to recognize you because it is certain that you have grown up as well. I am on another ship at this moment and this one is very nice and large. I will travel on it all the way to Ceylon where I will inspect the jungle so we can travel there together one time. After that, I will board the "Fushimi Maru" (?) ship which will take me all the way to Europe (to Marseille).
You can follow the course of my ships on this small map, the way is indicated by the red line. I am looking forward to see you and all of you very much. Take care, my dear boy, and be nice so everybody can take you as a role model. Give my regards also to Máňa (or mam?). Many regards and kisses, Your Daddy
 
 


Letter from TFS to his son Ivan
January 14, 1927
 

 
Dear Ivan, I left Japan already a week ago and I saw beautiful islands in the inner sea on the way from Yokohama to Moji. Then we sailed through the Yellow Sea awfully infuriated by the Siberian monsoon and finally got to Shanghai in China. It is a colossal harbour and I was impressed deeply by the chinese city and environment. Now we are sailing for the third day to the south and we feel permanent warming (it was freezing in Shanghai). Tomorrow morning, our ship will drop anchor in Hong-Kong which is said to be beautiful and interesting. I indicated my route on the map with dots. I hope you are fine and all the others as well. Give my regards to mom and Eva and take care. Kisses to you by your Daddy

Translation by Zbyněk Svoboda. April 2017
 


Šimon 's scheme of his worldtour. 1
enlarge image


Šimon 's scheme of his worldtour. 2
enlarge image
 

 


Telegram from Tokyo to Prague.
December 13th, 1926.
Arrival in the port of Yokohama at 9 o'clock.
From there he went to Tokyo.


On the left:
A page in the notebook of  T. F. Šimon .
He travelled to Kyoto on Monday 27th, 1926.
Letter from  Mr.Okada (Tokyo), collector of art,  to Vilma Šimon .
Šimon noted Mr.Akada in his notebook on Saterday 1st, 1927.
 


 




Letter from the NY Public Library, 1928.
 


Correspondence with Sagot
Paris, 1906-1936


 


'From the live of  
Milan
Štefanik  in Paris'
+
Štefánik in search for Gauguin's traces on Tahiti.
Essay by T.F. Šimon
 


 


Novak 596.
SELF PORTRAIT.
Etching – 155x115mm.
Edition of 100 prints.
For an album with portrait of artists.
 Hollar, 1932.
T.F. Šimon and Paul Gauguin,
Essay by T.F. Šimon, 1937
 


 
INTERVIEWS




Interview with Sada Yacco,1906

 


Oilpainting Sada Yacco/ Paris.
 


Intervieuw with Šimon in a Prague evening journal.
Mai 14th 1937
 

Part of an Interview with Stewart Kenneth Moore, a Scottish artist.
Radioprague.cz, by Coilin O'Connor, 03-12-2007
.
….You mentioned Alfons Mucha and Jan Svankmajer a minute ago. Are there any other Czech artists or cultural figures who have inspired or informed your work?  “If I was to pick someone, I’d say T.F.Simon. I really, really like his work. I think he’s someone who’s kind of ignored in a way, which is a great shame because he’s a brilliant artist of his period.” And what is it about Simon that particularly appeals to you? “His skill as a draughtsman and his use of colour. When you see him doing America – going to New York and drawing the skyscrapers and stuff. That’s fascinating. It’s a delightful thing to look at. I just like the freshness with which he looked at things, especially in America ”

 
NEWSPAPERS
& DIVERSE


 

 

1898
1899
2902
1903

2 awards to study
and
2 awards to travel

With thanks to David Pearson.



 

 

 



Šimon 's review in Volné Smęry on the
Whistler exhibition in London.1905.

 

 

Article on the exhibition in New York. Jan 7th, 1911.


Comment by the curator of Public Library NY.
 

Invitation to the exhibition at the Public Library in New York. A.o. works of art by Whistler & T.F. Šimon (F.T.  Šimon ). Winter & Spring 1911.
 


An American Newspaper.
Circa 1925. 
 

The studio in Prague of  T. François Šimon reveals the development of an artist of international repute from a colorist and impressionist to a decorative painter within twenty years. One of the best known pictures "Bruges in Snow" hangs in the Luxembourg, in Paris. 
To the average man in the street who pauses to consider art, Šimon is known to him as an etcher. In the smaller circle of artists and artcritics, Šimon is painter first and etcher second. And it is as painter Šimon would prefer history should record on him. He is today one of the leading Czech painters and is probably, without exaggeration, the master of the decorative school in his country. More
 


Legitimace Frantisek Šimon, 1915
 



Legitimace, 1924

 


Music festival on the occasion of Simon's 50th birthday
 


Article by Arthur Novak,
Prager Presse 1927.

 



Who can read the text
of this newspaper-article?
e - mail
 





Three drawings published in
Newspaper Svetozor. Circa 1927.
 


Article in a Polish newspaper.
 
 

ABOUT CZECH ARTISTS.

T.F.ŜIMON, AN OUTSTANDING CZECH ARTIST-PAINTER AND GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATOR
WRITTEN BY JOZEF ZDENEK SVOBODA ‘ILLUSTRATED POLAND’ #14 [1930].

Today I would like to discuss the creativity of the great Czech painter Prof. T.F. Šimon.....The whole article has been translated by Marta Mazur and Brian R. Banks.


Prague in modern Painting
Exhibition 1932
 



Salon June 10, 1937  Part 1

 


Salon June 10, 1937 Part 2
 


 Gros, Mai 18, 1937.
 

Newspaper-article  (English)
Central European Observer. 
August 6, 1937.

 


Newspaper-articles
Zeleznice/Eisenstadtel 1942.

 

Art-Society Hollar 
Prague December 21, 1942
.
 


 








Art-Society Hollar, 1943.


 


List of correspondences

&

Documents diverse
Part 1  &   Part 2

 

 
 





2009
-
2018

www.tfsimon.com