Václav Špála: Toy Devil - detail of advertisement

Licensed replica: Václav Špála: Toy Devil

Czechoslovakia 1920s, manufacturer: Modernist, shop@modernista.cz

Wooden toys have been one of the basic products of the Artěl cooperative since the beginning. The most popular toy is the little devil created for the traditional Prague Christmas markets. The toy has an opening door and also serves as a box for sweets. Its author is Václav Špála, who designed a whole set of distinctive toys - peacocks, a chicken or a rabbit. Reproductions of the originals stored in the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague.

Václav Špála (1885–1946)

In the main, the contrast of cold blue and tones of warm red or pink. A typical feature of Václav Špála's paintings, with which we associate the work of this great artist. However, Špála's artistic range is much broader; in addition to landscape themes of azure waters, azure summer skies and plump female figures or floral still lifes in a vase, his work also includes graphic and design works. Špála was greatly influenced by French Cubism, but unlike the traditional Cubists, he used bright and bold colours. In addition to Cubism, Orphism and Fauvism, he found inspiration in Czech folk art, and through the combination of these influences he developed a very distinctive and unmistakable style.