ALÈS, NICOLÒ

ALÈS, NICOLÒ. – Czech painter, born in Mirotice in Bohemia on 18 November 1852, died in Prague on 10 July 1913. A pupil of Trenkwald and Sweerts, he soon arrived at a style of his own, which he retained even after his journey to Italy in 1879. As regards the content of his works, he drew inspiration from the popular songs of Bohemia. He executed many sacred works, depicting local saints in particular. He painted six pictorial cycles, of which, among the four that survive, the one entitled La Patria in Prague’s National Theatre is noteworthy. National criticism attributes to him a type of Nativity scene therefore called Czech. The paintings representing Giorgio di Podébrad and Mattia Corvino appear almost foreign to his art, since they were painted in the Italian manner. His book illustrations are numerous.