T. F. Simon

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Tavík František Šimon (May 13, 1877–December 19, 1942), known as T.F. Simon, was a Czech-born painter, etcher, and woodcut artist much of whose career took place in Prague and in Paris, France. His style was strongly influenced by the French Impressionists and, presumably through them, by Japanese printmaking techniques, in particular color aquatints with soft ground etching. Largely ignored during the Communist era in Czechoslovakia, his work has received greater attention in recent years.

He was born in Železnice (known at that time as Eisenstadtl) near Jičín. As a student at the Academy of Fine Arts, Prague, he received a stipend that allowed him to travel to Italy, Belgium, England and France. He had his first solo exhibition in Prague in 1905, and a Paris exhibition in 1906. His extensive travels would eventually also bring him to New York City, London, the Netherlands, Spain, Morocco, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, and Japan, images of all of which appear in his work.

After spending 1905–1913 based in Paris, Simon returned to Prague and became a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Prague. In 1917 he became s founding member of the Hollar Association of Czech Graphic Artists, which he later chaired.

He died in Prague in 1942.

Reports exist of modern re-prints being made from the original printing plates, and being sold without acknowledgment that these are recent, posthumous re-strikes. This is particularly the case for images depicting New York City.

[edit] References

• T.F. Simon on the site of Davidson Galleries, Seattle. Accessed 18 August 2005.
• T.F. Simon - View in Old Prague on www.artofthe print.com. Accessed 18 August 2005.

[edit] External links

• TFSimon.com, commercial site with extensive reproductions of Simon's works and those of other Czech artists.