Josef Lada Cartoon Ink Drawings on Paper for "The Good Soldier Svejk"

Item Details

Ink on paper

A framed trio of ink caricature studies on paper by listed artist Josef Lada (Czech Republic, 1887 – 1957). These playful cartoons were created by Lada as rough drafts for the well-known illustrated and unfinished Czech novel titled The Good Soldier Svejk, by Jaroslav Hašek, published in three complete and one incomplete volumes from 1921 to 1923. Each image depicts the fictional character Svejk, a World War I soldier, interacting in various scenarios with multiple individuals. The three separate compositions are rendered with black outlines reinforced with splotches of white against a beige ground. To the lower right corner of each composition is a handwritten artist signature. The drawing is presented under acrylic glass beneath matting with three separate windows. This is placed in a black wooden frame with hanging wire to the verso.

Condition

- some staining and wear to the frame; glass could benefit from a cleaning; some foxing to one image; one image is ripped to the right edge; to the verso, some rips and wear to the protective backing; spacer missing to lower right corner of verso.

Dimensions

- measures frame; one panel measures: 5.75" W x 4.50" H; each image is approximately identical.

Item #

17LAX398-181