Joza Uprka - Shohaj from Moravian Slovakia 1918, oil on canvas, 89,5 x 49,5 cm, signed and dated upper right: JU 18 Expertise by the renowned expert Professor Jaromir Zemina, enclosed. Professor Jaromir Zemina remarked: “From the final years of the 19th century until the end of his life, Uprka was one of the most popular Czech artists, and his paintings were among the most sought-after and commanded the highest prices: for this reason, in 1922 he was able to buy a chateau in Klobusice near Ilava, where he lived until 1937. His fame, confirmed by various awards at home and abroad such as the Mention honorable at the Paris Salon in 1894, is further evidenced by Auguste Rodin's visit to him in the Moravian village of Hroznova Lhota in 1902. Uprka's contribution to Czech art consisted not only in depicting new subjects, specifically festive events in Moravian Slovakia, such as the Ride of the Kings and the St. Anthony’s pilgrimage, but also in his distinctive painting style. Cultural historians in turn appreciate Uprka's significant contribution to the organisation of artistic events in Moravia. Over time, Uprka's realism was revived by the influence of Impressionism, manifested in the vivid, vibrant colours that testify to his strong sense of ornamentation, bringing him closer to Art Nouveau. Uprka's fascination with village culture, reminiscent of Manes' enthusiasm for folk costumes, is eloquently displayed by the painting under consideration, the subject of which is a shohaj from Moravian Slovakia. The painting is intended to be decorative yet at the same time to document Moravian-Slovakian men's clothing for the winter season, the main part of which is a long fur coat. This ethnographic purpose of the painting is reflected in its lack of agency – the shohaj stands here as a mere mannequin with nothing concrete behind him, just a smooth surface.“ Further consulted with Dr Irena Zantovska Murray HonFRIBA, Dr Jiri Machalicky and Vladimir Lekes.