Published: 02.05.2022
Lanškroun (Ústí nad Orlicí district) – the prominent Czech medal maker and sculptor Zdeněk Kolářský died on the 28th March at the age of 90 years. The Czech News Agency was informed by Dita Hálová from the Municipal Museum Lanškroun. In his extensive medal making and sculptural work Kolářský combined multiple visual and applied arts, especially typography and logo designing in pieces made from various metals.
“Although most of his works were large public or private projects, he always combined figurative themes with texts to form an integral artistic artifact with regard to the place of application,” Hálová said. The artist created free figural sculptures, portrait busts of famous personalities, reliefs and plaques. A significant part of Kolářský’s work included designs of stamped and cast medals and coins, coin dies, plaques and their models. A specific part of his work included insignia designs for universities, cities or other contractors. The author focused on jewellery with a distinctive element of monumentality and a feeling for detail.
Zdeněk Kolářský was born in Kostelec nad Orlicí in the Rychnov nad Kněžnou district and studied at the High School of Applied Arts for Glassmaking in Železný Brod. He graduated from the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague (UMPRUM) in 1956 in the Studio of Modelling, Hardstone Carving and Applied Sculpture under supervision of the architect Karel Štipla. Kolářský’s creative life and high work commitment was divided between Prague and his native Kostelec nad Orlicí. His co-worker for many years was his son Petr.
The name of the academic sculptor Zdeněk Kolářský is closely linked with the Faculty of Chemical Technology of the University of Pardubice because he designed and produced the faculty medal at the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of higher chemical education in Pardubice; he also designed the faculty graduation badge.
A great amount of the artist’s work was intended for Eastern Bohemia, cities and universities. He enriched the Pardubice Region and its gallery with the extensive results of his work. His work is exhibited especially in the Gallery of Eastern Bohemia in Pardubice and the Municipal Museum in Lanškroun. The native Kostelec nad Orlicí and especially Lanškroun have literally become galleries in the open air with a large number of the author’s commemorative reliefs and sculptures. A large part of Kolářský’s creative life was connected with the National Bank, which provided him the opportunity and conditions for unique work including coin design. He became known among the citizens of Czechoslovakia for the logotype of the national insurance company designed in 1971 with the three leaves. The logo was used in more than 700 locations of the country for 35 years.
He also designed other logotypes; one of his prestigious commissions was his work on the New Stage of the National Theatre in Prague together with the architect Karel Prager and the co-authors of the glass facade Stanislav Libenský and Jaroslava Brychtová. He designed the logotype on the facades of the buildings of the National Theatre and Laterna magika’ magic eye. The iconic works of national identity include the symbolic chain around the equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas by Josef Václav Myslbek on Wenceslas Square in Prague.
Source: Czech News Agency
