Josef Lada’s paintings have reached iconic status here in the Czech Republic. Josef Lada is known as a painter who had a very specific style. But at the same time his style, in my opinion, is full of kindness, of love, of faith.
I thought for a long time about Lada's phenomenom, why his paintings are so mind - taking, why you see them and think about them, remember them,love them???
And once I have read these lines about Lada:
"He is so popular because everybody understands his visual style. It’s clear to everyone. You see these illustrations for example, children like them, parents like them, everybody likes them. So you can attribute it to his simple visual style, because there is no abstractionism, no expressionism, and no cubism. So this could be one explanation."
I absolutely agree with these words.
Lada wasn't the Renaissance man, he didn't revolutionized Art, but he returned to people, in my opinion, the understanding of Art. He brought to his nation and still continues to bring people love to Art, love to visual Art.
Because it is understandible, but not primitive, not "mass-market", it's deep, profound and it make your souland mind work, feel, sympasize, believe.
Today I want to tell detaily about his painting "České Vánoce".
The painting is about Nativity, birth of Jesus Christ and the plot is famous. At first sight it could seem that it was painted for children, to tell them Christmas story. But at the same time in these simple "illustration" you can find many czech details. At hte sametime a you learn the story of Jesus Christ you see Czech traditions, Czech History and Architecture, Czech national character... Lada's paintings are masterpieces .
Christianity merges with Czech legends and "pohadkys". And it is not offensive at all, because it brings love and real faith. In this simple picture i see the presence of Jesus, I believe in God but on the other hand I am not pressured by divinity or God's nature. I see life itself, earthy life . People who can come to your house and bring help, bring presents. People can come come and ask help. All these "every day life"you can notice and recognise in "České Vánoce", but Nativity will live in you ever after.
