(Žlunice 1885–1946 Prague)
Chvat₧ruby (se zdí, v₧tší, husy), 1923, signed with monogram and dated, oil on canvas, 57 x 73 cm, framed

Provenance:
Private Collection, Czech Republic

Literature:
Burget E., Musil R., Václav Špála: soupis díla (1885–1946), Prague, 2002, p. 44, no. 68 (without ill.)
The work is listed in author´s own catalogue raisonné under the number 68.

Chvat₧ruby is a village located north of Prague on the Moldau river.

Václav Špála is one of the major Czech modern artists. He was a member of most of the important Czech avantgard artistic groups formed in the first two decades of the 20th century – the groups Osma, Skupina výtvarných umělců and Tvrdošíjní. From the beginning of the 1920´s, he searched for the motifs for his paintings nearby Prague. In 1921 and 1922, he painted in Veltrusy and Ouholice, in 1923, in Kralupy and in Chvatěruby lying on the right bank of river Moldau, not far from Kralupy. There are two different artistic views being combine in his work of that time – the cubist which was about to end and the new way of seeing the landscape introducing his green period. It is quite obvious that the cubist feeling was still very strong in his means of expression, but the chosen motif already indicates his future artistic steps.

Bildcredit:
From; Hrady, zámky a tvrze na starých pohlednicích I - Střední Čechy, Beginning 20th century.