The Stamp Gallery of Czech and Slovak Graphic Art




Parizsti antikvari

born on May 13, 1877 in Železnice
died on December 19, 1942 in Prague

PAŘÍŽŠTÍ ANTIKVÁŘI (Parisian Second-Hand Booksellers)

Stamp issue of the Czech Republic
date of issue: November 12, 1997
engraved by Martin Srb

Original picture:
color print from the year 1909
Národní Galerie (National Gallery) Prague

For a long time of his life, Šimon lived in Paris and travelled through many countries. He recorded his impressions of these travels in drawings and paintings. The picture depicted on the stamp is an engraver's transposition of one of the graphic works in which the artist captured scenes from Paris.
Tavík František Šimon, painter, graphic artist and professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague was born on May 13, 1877 in Železnice. He was co-founder and chairman of the Hollar Association of Czech Graphic Artists. This association was founded in 1917 and the most-famous 150 Czech graphic artists belong to it, among others Karel Svolinský, Cyril Bouda, Josef Liesler and many of the Czech stamp designers. He perfected his etching technique to the extent of producing impressively colourful prints. As chairman, Šimon was responsible for the high standards of Czech stamp production which had its roots in this association.

Based on Šimon's designs, two stamps were issued during the twenties: the motif with the castle Karlštejn from the definitive series "Hrady, města, krajiny" (Castles, towns, landscapes) and a stamp with a look on the Charles Bridge and the Castle in Prague, both engraved by Karl Seizinger.

For a long time, he lived in Paris and travelled through many countries. The stamp on this page above is an engraver's transposition of one of the graphic works in which the artist captured scenes from Paris, Prague and his travels around the world. He died on December 19, 1942 in Prague.