Jiří Prádler

Life and work

He was born on 24 April 1929 in Sezemice. On the advice of his headmaster he trained as an art metal engraver, then studied at the Higher School of Jewellery in Turnov and from 1949 to 1954 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, first in Karel Pokorný's sculpture school and then in Otakar Španiel's special school of medallic art. He created university insignia for the Academy (his student work Mánes with Myslbek became the rector's medal), for the SNB police academy and for the Faculty of Education in Hradec Králové (1974). He designed the stone grille in the Hradčanská station of the Prague metro. In 1969 he helped bring the 13th FIDEM exhibition to Prague. He received the Klement Gottwald State Prize (1981), the title of Meritorious Artist (1982) and the Vít Nejedlý Prize (1983). He died on 30 June 1993 in Prague.

Coins and medals

In 1967 he entered the competition for the 5 koruna coin. His 10 haléř design was used for the Czech Republic coin that entered circulation in May 1993, a few weeks before the artist's death. He also designed state decorations and the Josef Dobrovský honorary medal of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

From the work in the AUREA range

The AUREA range includes three of his works: the bronze medal of the Vít Nejedlý Annual Prize of 1965 (60 mm, cased), a massive cast bronze plaque of 1985 for the anniversary of the coronation of George of Poděbrady and Kunštát as King of Bohemia, and the bronze Rector's Prize medal of Charles University (70 mm) in its original leatherette case.