Josef Šíma

About

Šíma's early Paris works featured expressionist landscapes of the Seine, evolving into colorful geometric abstractions blending purism and dreamlike lyricism. World War II interrupted his career, leading to a decade-long pause; he resumed in the 1950s, focusing on landscapes from memory inspired by travels in Spain and France, emphasizing light, space, and dematerialized forms. He maintained ties to Czech Surrealists, curated exhibitions, and created illustrations, stained glass designs, and covers like Breton's Nadja. Major retrospectives marked his later recognition, including shows in Paris (1968) and Prague.

Early Surrealism evolving to abstract landscape painting with dreamlike lyricism and geometric purism