Karel Zeman

Life and work

He was born on 7 December 1949 in Brno. He studied at the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Brno in the department of advertising graphics under Professor Dalibor Chatrný and then at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in Zdeněk Sklenář's studio of book graphics and illustration. He is a member of the Hollar Association of Czech Graphic Artists and of the Association of Medal Artists. His postage stamp won the poll for the most beautiful Czech stamp of 2003.

Coins and medals

He came to the medal very early: at eighteen he created a medal of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, which was struck two years later by the Kremnica Mint. His medallic work is covered by a catalogue published by the District Museum Brno-venkov (1998) and the monograph Karel Zeman: Medals (Hortus Moraviae, Kroměříž 2009). His training as a printmaker shows in his medals through an emphasis on drawing, lettering and finely graded relief.

From the work in the AUREA range

The AUREA range includes four of his medals: the silver medal for the 700th anniversary of the death of King Ottokar II (1978, Ag 900, 40 mm, mintage 400), the medal for the 650th anniversary of the death of Henry of Lipá, catalogued to 1981, with a bust and a knight with shield and banner, the patinated bronze medal Alois Musil – Traveller and Orientalist (2008, 70 mm, mintage 100) and the silver-plated bronze medal of the Church of St John of Nepomuk at Zelená hora near Žďár nad Sázavou (2002, 50 mm). The subjects, ranging from the Přemyslid and Luxembourg eras to figures of Moravian scholarship, reflect the historical focus of his medallic work.