Wildlife in the Vltava
I think that when most of us think of fauna in the Vltava, ducks and swans are the likeliest suspects. Or maybe, if it's just after Christmas, carp that (at least for awhile, perhaps no longer) were mistakenly released by families who couldn't bring themselves to slaughter the holiday meal. (Carp evidently don't do well in the Vltava, preferring muddy carp ponds.)
Furthermore, I suppose that when most of us think of the 1930s incarnation of the periodical Tvorba (ok, I realize that probably not more than one or two of you ever think of Tvorba at all), thoughts of Communism, socialist realism, and coverage of the interwar political landscape are foremost.
Well, sometimes Tvorba took an unexplained shift of direction. None other than revered Communist journalist Julius Fučík wrote the article accompanying this intriguing visual of dinosaurs emerging from the river to embrace the National Theater.
I confess I didn't read the article, but the picture could hardly be passed up.
Furthermore, I suppose that when most of us think of the 1930s incarnation of the periodical Tvorba (ok, I realize that probably not more than one or two of you ever think of Tvorba at all), thoughts of Communism, socialist realism, and coverage of the interwar political landscape are foremost.
Well, sometimes Tvorba took an unexplained shift of direction. None other than revered Communist journalist Julius Fučík wrote the article accompanying this intriguing visual of dinosaurs emerging from the river to embrace the National Theater.
I confess I didn't read the article, but the picture could hardly be passed up.
posted by Karla at 4:01 PM
7 Comments:
Yay! Better than She-Hulk! I am sure that the article by Julius Fučík was about how Mothera was coming to save the National Theater.
What does the caption on the picture say?
There's a place where carp don't thrive? I thought those bottom feeders survived everywhere. Learn something new...
"From the Vltava juts only a part of the body of a giant saurian, another monster sits by the theater." Not real illuminating since we can already see that. I'm not sure this is better than She-Hulk, but they kind of go together.
I believe the problem for the carp was the multiple changes of water between pond, sales tub, bathtub, and river.
Nice picture. It really looks like one of those Jaroslav Hašek's collages he published in 'Animal World' (Svet život, if I'm correct) between 1909-1911, when he was appointed editor in chief there and took advantage of this position to make pranks involving fake animals he forged from photos taken in magazines of the time.
The Štyrský collage is also wonderfull. I'd love to see more of them.
Are you sure Julius Fučík is being 'reverred' at all nowadays in Czech Republic? As far as I know, his 'Notes from the Gallows' (Reportáž psaná na oprátce, 1945) is an account of his arrestation by nazi soldiers, being tortured and not spoiling any secret, which in fact he did and had several fellow czech fighters arrested. He's usually regarded as a traitor by czechs then.
I ought to take time out and look at Svět život if there are actually Hašek collages to be found there.
As for Fučík, well, I doubt anyone reveres him now, but he was certainly sanctified under Communism.
If you're interested in Hašek's collages, I have 10 (admittedly bad) pictures in 'Revue K', a magazine published by Jiři Kolář here in France during the 1980s and 1990s. I could send you scans if you wish.
Laurent, I'd be delighted to see the scans. Now we'll see if I can put up an email address that you can understand but won't collect spam...
k
a
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26 AT
p
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t DOT edu
which should forward to my preferred email account.
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