Frantisek Zenisek

Background

He was born into a family of merchants and displayed an affinity for art at an early age. Reluctantly his father agreed to let him pursue his interests and allowed him to take lessons from Karel Javůrek while he was still in school.

Career

He was part of the "Generace českého Národního divadla" (Generation of the Czechoslovakian National Theater), a large group of artists with nationalistic sympathies. From 1863 to 1865, he was at the Academy of Fine Arts, studying with Eduard von Engerth. After a brief stay in Vienna, assisting Engerth with work at the State Opera, he was back at the Academy in Prague, working with January Swerts and the history painter Josef Matyáš Trenkwald.

In 1875, he received his first major commission.

Painting murals at the city hall in Courtrai, Belgium. He later accompanied Daubek on his honeymoon to Holland, and painted a portrait of the new couple.

Ženíšek went on to decorate the auditorium ceiling and design a curtain, although the curtain was destroyed by a fire in 1881. He also painted windows at the church in Karlín and lunettes at the National Museum as well as over 80 portraits.

From 1885 to 1896, he was a Professor at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design, where his assistant was Jakub Schikaneder.

Then, from 1896 to 1915, he was a Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, where his students included Jaroslav Špillar and January Preisler. In 1898, he was one of the founders of "Jednota umělců výtvarných" (Creative Artists), in an effort to strengthen the Czechoslovakian nationalist viewpoint in the arts

Achievements

• Soon after returning from Paris, he and Mikoláš Aleš won a competition to decorate the foyer of the National Theater with historic and allegorical designs.

Connections

Friend:

Josef Šebestián Daubek