MICHAEL RITTSTEIN

Michael Rittstein (*September 17, 1949, in Prague) began his educational journey at the Václav Hollar Secondary School of Art, where he studied from 1964 to 1968. Subsequently, from 1968 to 1974, he pursued studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague under the tutelage of Professor Arnošt Paderlík. Since 2001, he has been the head of the Painting Studio III at this institution.

Rittstein is one of the most prominent representatives of expressive figural painting. Throughout his career, he has been inspired by the works of Czech painters such as Luděk Marold and Zdeněk Burian, as well as a number of other 19th and 20th-century painters.

In the 1970s, he began exhibiting his works, which, however, often clashed with the then-ruling regime. Communication with the viewer is key in Rittstein's work, often through humor, irony, or sarcasm. In addition to traditional painting, Michael Rittstein also dedicates himself to book illustrations, film collaborations, and the creation of conceptual works and spatial installations.

Michael Rittstein is a member of the art groups "12:15", "Pozdě, ale přece" (Late, but Still), "Nová skupina" (New Group), and "SVU Mánes".