Jan Kudlacek (3. 9. 1928 in Dolni Dubnany near Moravsky Krumlov) graphic artist, illustrator and painter

He studied under professor Petr Dillinger and Karel Müller at the State Graphic School in Prague 1945 - 1949, art history at Charles University in Prague 1949 - 1950 and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague under professor Vratislav Nechleba 1950 - 1957. He is engaged in drawing, illustration, graphics and animated film. His work focuses on children's book illustrations. It works with collage, sprayed technique, utilizing the smooth effects of ground surfaces, wrinkled stone surfaces through stars and flowers to the present integrated concept and surface area. In the years 1947 - 1960 he created a series of ex-libris for his friends and for foreign collectors using a dry needle or a combined technique from the depth. His ex-libris are represented in the collections of the National Museum in Prague. Jan Kudlacek came to the illustration much later than his peers. The first book with his illustrations was published only in 1964. After that, however, followed by a continuous series of book titles, which were published in the Czech Republic and abroad and brought many author recognition. Coincidentally, Kudlacek was given children's books in which the water element plays the main role (Preussler: The Watermelon, 1971, Storm: The Rain Fairy, 1972, Riha: How the Water Spreaders Settled the Catfish, 1974). Painters and the often repeated long-term stay at the Horusicky Pond in South Bohemia contributed to the solution of this task, where the tranquility of this landscape helped him to develop his imagination.
The quality of his illustrative work is evidenced by the fact that many writers demanded it and even several writers were so inspired by his pictures that they wrote their books on them. He is one of the illustrators who marked the world illustration for children.
He has exhibited in many cities in the Czech Republic and abroad at solo and collective exhibitions.
He received awards in 1967 Albatros Prize, in 1971 Bronze Medal for Illustrations for the book Petruska at the IBA in Leipzig, 1972 Prize of the Premio grafico in Bologna, 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1982 Honorable Mention in the Most Beautiful Book of the Year 1976 Grand Prix des treize in Paris, 1977 Premio Europeo in Padua, 1978 H.Ch.Andersen's Diploma, 1979 Silver Eagle in Nice and Diploma at the International Exhibition in Tokyo, 1984 National Gallery Award for puppet film Iron Shoes and many others .