Bohumil Čížek (known as Bohuš Čížek,šČíž alternatively as Bohouš Čížek; 11 February 1913 – 19 September 1989) was a Czechoslovakian, Moravia-born painter, draughtsman, graphic artist, illustrator and lecturer.
Life
Bohuš Čížek was born into a family of farmer Bohumil Čížek and Marie Čížková, née Bláhová as their second son. At the estate farm he spent his childhood, acquiring first life sensations, developing imagination and drawing inspiration (among others through an illustrations by Adolf Kašpar, from a favourite book The Grandmother, in Czech: Babička).
In the years 1924–1933 he was attending a secondary school, so-called "reálka" in Prostějov, where he was already drawing and painting a lot. Some of his schoolworks have been preserved. He applied himself to figurative art, ordinary things that surrounded him, and to landscape painting. He graduated by passing the upper secondary school examination in 1933.
After the leaving examination at secondary school, he started to study in 1934 at the Czech Technical University in Prague, precisely the School of Architecture and Building Construction (then becoming a faculty), professorship of drawing and descriptive geometry under the professors Oldřich Blažíček, Cyril Bouda and Karel Pokorný. In 1939 his studies were interrupted by closure of universities in a consequence of protests of students against the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazis, from a viewpoint of the occupants at that time, the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. In October 1942, he managed to obtain a lodging in Žižka Square 2. He finished his studies after the war in 1945. Later on, he has gotten a studio in Mánesova 32 after Alois Kalvoda, where he then worked throughout his life. He resided in Břevnov (district of Prague).
Since 1945, July 1st, he was employed as an assistant professor in the institute of drawing and painting at the School of Architecture and Building Construction in Prague. In 1949, April 30th, he left per his own request and completely devoted himself to art.
In 1949, August 27th he got married to Zdeňka Bednaříková from Prague at the Old Town Hall. In the year of 1951 their daughter Marie died at birth. In 1952 was born daughter Zdena and in 1955 daughter Hana. In 1972 he suffered a stroke, the first one, but overcomed its consequences and remained artistically active. In 1981, when he went to paint alongside painter Veselka in Šumava, he suffered the second stroke. He was moved to Vimperk, from there to Prague to the hospital in Charles Square, and afterwards to Bohnice for a recovery. However, the conditions and care were so unbearable there, that his wife took him home (accordingly to their promise) to die there. He lived on for another 8 years, mostly lying or sitting. In those first years he tried to draw or to colour his earlier works. He died on 19 September in 1989 at home.
Works
Beginnings
The beginnings of his works are figurative. He was showing a talent since primary school. An apparent influence on him had illustrations by Adolf Kašpar, as we may assume, since there is a correlation in expression with works of Bohuš Čížek, as well in proportions of his figures, those realistically externalized. He was then led by painter Antonín Kameník at school in Prostějov, who was a disciple of professors Vlaho Bukovac and František Ženíšek at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague.
Era of studies and war
The change of location showed on his next creations. The distinct nature of Haná was replaced by an incidence of a living, historical, metropolitan city. At the same time, his studies opened up a door to new inspirations and sensations that he could work on with. Portrayed in Mr. Čížek's works, the era of the end of thirties then gave, as it was a forebode of evil and war, and then in forties, reflecting his feelings, be it an inwardly dramatic figurative art in subdued tones, rather rare nude paintings too, or an expressive depiction of trees and outbuildings with a deeply radiant or contrasting colour emphasizing disillution from just occurring reality. (House in the Woods, 1940; Near the Village of Lešany, 1943; Rusava, 1943) His works made during the war or from a period when he was an assistant professor at the university refer to "Old Masters" or incline to cubism, precisely cubistic expressionism. He showcased his pieces even in the Topič salon.