In the footsteps of Josef Bosáček
His sgraffiti still decorate a number of Czech towns, and he left his mark in the form of paintings in Příbram. However, his name often remains forgotten - he worked in the shadow of Mikoláš Alš all his life. With his talent, however, Josef Bosáček undoubtedly belonged to the generation of artistic giants of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
1. HOUSE OF DUCKS
On the corner of Zahradnická and Pražská Street there used to be a house with a bakery of the Káš family. Josef Bosáček also trained as a baker under his grandfather.
That was the time when two "old neighbouring" families of Příbram joined together. Kašpar Bosáček, the owner of a ladies' tailoring shop in the town, married Marie Kášová, the daughter of Josef Káš, a baker from Příbram. They had seven children together: six sons and one daughter who died shortly after birth. Josef was born on 17 February 1857, the fourth offspring. There was no money for his studies, nor for those of his older brothers - the first-born Vincenc was already studying expensively at the academic gymnasium in Prague. And so the only thing left was a trade. Josef was to become a baker.
When he was apprenticed to his grandfather, he went to Prague, Brno and Vienna for experience, and eventually returned to Příbram to join his brother and help him in the bakery in Dlouhá Street. However, he enjoyed drawing and painting more. This was noticed by Josef Hofmayer, a teacher from Příbram and Březohorie, who recommended him to continue his art. So Josef Bosáček joined the Benedictine monks in the Prague monastery of Emmaus, famous for its so-called Beuron school of painting. Gradually he got his first sgraffiti and paintings, which eventually led to his admission to the Academy of Fine Arts.
2. HOLY MOUNTAIN
When Bosáček was studying at the Academy, he painted ten ceiling paintings in the Chapel of St. Ignatius on the Holy Mountain.
During his studies, he also met Mikoláš Alš for the first time, whom he had known from seeing him in Příbram - he regularly came here to visit his future wife Marina Kailová. "I always liked him very much, he seemed so different from other people, perhaps because he was an academic painter, and my only wish was to become a painter too," Bosáček recalled.
Josef Bosáček made sgraffiti based on Alš's designs, for example on the facade of a house in Ostrovní Street in Prague or a pharmacy in Kladno, on the facade of the Dvořáček Hotel in Písek, a school in Protivín or the former town hall in Strakonice. Alš's cooperation with Rudolf Štěch, an architect and builder, was important for him, thanks to which he was able to participate in a number of interesting projects, especially in Pilsen. However, he also left his mark in his native Příbram, painting ten ceiling paintings in the Chapel of St. Ignatius on Svatá Hora while still a student at the academy.
3. MAKOVA HORA
He spent the last part of his life in poor conditions as a hermit on Poppy Mountain near Smolotel.
Due to existential and financial problems, Rudolf Štěch committed suicide. While Mikoláš Aleš at least had his reputation and family background, Josef Bosáček lost practically everything with the loss of this partner. He therefore took refuge in Skalka in Mníšek pod Brdy, where his brother Vincenc worked as a parish priest. Later, they both moved to Makova hora near Smolotel, where Josef helped out as a churchwarden, bell-ringer and altar boy. He also made his last painting there.
After Vincenzo's death, a new parish priest came to Makova hora and offered Josef Bosáček accommodation in the donkey barn under the rectory. Bosáček lived here alone for sixteen years. When his rheumatism worsened, the brothers took him to the hospital in Příbram, where he died on 5 September 1934.
4. HŘBITOV
Josef Bosáček died in the hospital in Příbram on Wednesday, 5 September 1934. Today he rests in the Pribram cemetery.
Václav Bešt'ák with contribution of Josef Fryš
photo: Karolina Ketmanová
