Sylva Petrová writes about Jiří Altmann in 1980.

Jiří Altmann. Graphic artist and illustrator, born in Prague on 28th January 1942. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague under Professor Vojtěch Tittelbach from 1960–1966. He had a solo exhibition in the Gallery of Youth (Gallery of Mladých) in 1974, and has also participated in several collective exhibitions and shows of contemporary arts.

 

Kneading Noodles, Holzschnitt, 27,5 x 30 cm

Altmann’s sheets are defined by an ancient technique of woodcarving, which has become characteristic of his work and from which he has been able to artistically benefit. The graphics of this artist draws from his own experiences; however, one cannot fail to note the relationship with the Czech social art of the second half of the 20’s and with the formal responses acknowledging the art of woodcarving. Altmann’s figurative compositions are succinct yet rugged and their expressive exaltation tends to tempt at times to simplify various shapes. This reveals the artist’s romantic relationship to handwork and an apparent inclination to calligraphic arabesque of lines and trails. The content of Jiří Altmann’s graphics is a reflection of what surrounds him, of him as a person, what he does and what troubles him. Elemental values of human life have become the main theme of his artistic work: labour, love, maternity.

 

Sylva Petrová, Mladá grafika (Young Graphics), Prag, Odeon