The cycle The Elements is an extraordinary artwork in the context of Aleš’s drawing oeuvre. It was created in 1881 and reflects both Aleš’s experience with working on the cartoons for the foyer of the National Theatre and his personal penchant for the Red Indian theme. The originality and inventive approach with which Aleš varied deep-rooted iconographic motifs, complemented by a technical virtuosity, aligns these charcoal drawings with the masterpieces preserved in the National Gallery in Prague’s Collection of Prints and Drawings.

Curator: Markéta Dlábková