PLISKOVA'S BUTTERFLIES

by Stacey B. Day MD

A Collection of Graphic Works with commentary. Following World War II unquestioningly the direction set for Czech artists in 1946 was to harmonize with the philosophy augmented by the Bolshevik rise to power in Russia in October 1917 and was a continuation of the principle set forth in the Socialist Education of the People. In keeping with this fundamental ideology of the socialist concept, art now had to recapitulate a materialist view of the world. It was to serve a constructive role in the socialist education of the people. These graphics illustrate the conflict within the artist - under the duress of the times - a sort of "freedom - in - chains". This expression is in great contrast to art work in post World War II Western countries. Each graphic is accompanied by an essay written by the author, who was a close friend of Pliskova and her husband, the sculptor Karel Nepras .