Wenceslaus Hollar Bohemus

Silver commemorative medal 1 Oz
Design : Vladimír Oppl , Engraver : Lubomír Lietava

Diameter: 38 mm, Weight: 33.6 g
Fineness: 925/1000 Ag
The edge ( proof) is plain.
Mintage volume of Proof design is only 2000 pcs.
Mintage volume of the common design is 2000 pcs.

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Proof:

 

Wenceslas Hollar Hollar, Wenceslas, * 13 July 1607 Prague, † 28 March 1677 Westminster. A Czech baroque etcher and drawer. Author of free graphic sheets with landscape subjects, cityscape drawings and graphics, panoramic views of towns, maps, portraits, genres, still lives with natural motives and illustrations. He belongs to the most important chasers and graphic artists of the 17th century, and many of his etchings are really unique – both artistically and historically. In his etchings, he was able to represent what no one else has ever been able to. Many of his graphics have never been outperformed both descriptively and artistically. Artistic production of this master of Czech origin became famous already during his life. He was able to create the feeble shine of a shell, the softness of velvet, the hard shine of satin, the smoothness of fur hairs, or even the fine dust of butterfly wings. In 1879 one of Hollar´s successors, Sir Francis Seymour Hayden, enthusiastically described some of Hollar´s shells as \"miracles of color and technique\". In 1662 his friend John Evelyn wrote in his book History and Art of Chalcography, among others, that Hollar´s works represent a \"highly useful and enlightening collection of all times\". Experts have always pointed out Hollar´s skillfulness as a drawer. Hollar was a realist: he looked at landscapes soberly, without the pathos of baroque, and reliably represented what he noticed. He did not alter the viewed object; he just faithfully pictured each rock, tree, fence or a damaged roof. A factual, almost scientific consistency and rare cleanliness and fineness are typical for his works. Therefore, his graphics of London depicting the city prior to a fire in 1666 and after that, his views of Prague or the Antwerp are so valuable in terms of history. It is not without cause that Hollar is known in Britain as the \"man who depicted London\". Wenceslas Hollar was born on 13 July 1607 in Soukenická Street in Prague. He grew up in the time of Rudolf II, favorable to the arts, and showed a talent for visual arts from a young age. His father Jan, a highly situated notarial officer, wanted him to become a lawyer, and it was due to this family dispute why the young Hollar left for abroad. Thus, Hollar did not leave for religious reasons as a number of his coevals; his family had always been catholic. His adventurous journey started in the workshop of Matthew Merian in Frankfut am Main, he further worked in Strasbourg, Colon and in the Netherlands, where he got acquainted with Rembrandt’s works. The year 1636 meant a breakthrough for Hollar; then, he started working for Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, the English ambassador to the imperial court. He met Earl of Arundel in Colon and became the chronicler of his journey to the imperial court of the Hapsburgs. For him, he artistically captured the look of towns they visited and historic events. His etches from many European places are still highly valuated by collectors as well as historians. When he returned, he got married and settled in London. In 1644 he moved to Antwerp for 8 years, the prime of his working life, and then he returned to England for good. He received an aristocratic title and become the drawing teacher of the British prince, later the King Carl II. However, he also experienced hard times in London, when he lost his wife and son in the great plague or when a significant part of his property burned during a fire. A legend says that he died in the greatest poverty on 25 March 1677. He is buried by the chapel of St. Margaret in Westminster. \"He died so poor as if he lived in a country of barbarians,\" reverend James Granger commented on his death in the book Biographical History of 1769. Thanks to his stays in a number of countries, not only Czechs acknowledge him, but also the Brits, the Dutch or the Germans because they are often not aware of Hollar´s Czech origin. For instance a British biographical encyclopedia from 2002 states that he is Dutch. Despite having spent the majority of his life abroad, he considered himself a Czech and he presented that fact. Frequently, he added \"Bohemus\", i.e. \"Czech\" to his name. Also letterings in Czech placed on his engravings evidence that fact (The lickerish cat gets many a rap). On some of his drawings, there are notes in Czech:\"forest\", \"field\". So, he did not forget Czech language. Nowadays, his name is born by an association of Czech artists and graphic artists established in 1917, by a gallery, and by Václav Hollar´s Higher Professional and Secondary Art School, the so called \"Hollarka\", established in 1920. Hollar´s heritage consists of almost 3,000 graphic sheets and ca. 500 drawings. One of the largest collections of his works is owned by Prague Hollareum. Also Johann Wolfgang Goethe was an important collector of his works. A large collection of Hollar´s works is kept by the British Museum, and the British Queen Elisabeth II, with her collection kept in the library of the royal family’s summer residence in Windsor, also counts to important owners. Part of Hollar´s works is also accessible online, in Hollar Digital Collection.