Prague Castle opens its new exhibition season today, 14th February, with a retrospective of paintings, drawings, and sculptures by the French artist of Czech origin, known by the name FRANTA.
FRANTA is considered one of the significant figures in figurative painting. The relevance of his works lies in his deep interest in humanity and his sensitivity to the beauty and hardship of human existence, which is subjected to the political, technological, and consumer-driven pressures of modern society.
Franta, born František Mertl in 1930 in Třebíč (Vysočina region) and a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, has lived in southern France since 1958, where he also adopted the artist’s name, FRANTA.
Despite numerous exhibitions worldwide, his work, which centres on the human figure and the relationship between people and the world, remains relatively unknown to the broader Czech public.
This retrospective exhibition will be the largest to date, covering the period from 1955 to 2024. It will feature works provided by the artist himself, as well as pieces from Czech and French museums and private collections, including the National Gallery in Prague (Národní galerie Praha), the Moravian Gallery in Brno (Moravská galerie v Brně), the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris, the Centre National des Arts Plastiques in Paris, and the Picasso Museum in Antibes. Over 100 works—paintings, sculptures, and paper pieces by the artist—will be displayed at the Riding School (Jízdárna Pražského hradu) of Prague Castle.
The exhibition is organised chronologically and presents the artist’s work in chapters, each dedicated to a specific decade. The thematic core of the exhibition emerges from this concept, focusing on the condemnation of violence and war. The relevance of Franta’s work lies precisely in his sensitivity to both the beauty and the horror of human life, suffering under the political, technological, or consumer-driven pressures of modern society. His canvases are not only a testament to cruel injustice but also a call for solidarity with those in danger.
Exhibition: FRANTA
Jízdárna Pražského hradu | 14th February – 15th June 2025
Culture at Prague Castle
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