Jano Köhler
Czech, 1873 – 1941
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Jano Köhler was a Czech painter. He is known for decorating sacral buildings with frescoes and sgraffiti.
Köhler was born in a Czech-German family, but his German father died soon after. He showed interest in fine arts and went to study in Prague. He graduated from Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design (1893–1897) and Academy of Fine Arts (1897–1900). During his studies, he gained valuable experience in the field of monumental painting, especially in the field of frescoes and sgraffiti.
He was student of Kamil Hilbert, Stanislav Sucharda, Felix Jenewein, Otakar Hostinský, František Ženíšek and Maximilian Pirner.
In 1899, he bought a house in Nenkovice where he set up a studio, and moved here in 1901. From 1926 until his death he lived in Strážovice. He died in a hospital in Brno in 1941 and was buried in Strážovice.
Köhler was active mostly in Moravia, but he travelled to work all over the country. He created most of his works in Prostějov, where he received his first contract in 1900 to decorate Prostějov Castle. During his career he decorated 40 churches and 35 secular buildings. His work counts a total of 2,500 works, mostly with a religious focus. He created his own distinctive ornament, drawn from the sources of Moravian folk art.
Köhler specialized in frescoes and sgraffiti, but he also worked with the ceramic mosaic technique. During his life he created or designed 40 mosaic works, including decoration of 11 Stations of the Cross on the pilgrimage Hostýn hill.
During the winter months, when work on the buildings was not possible, he devoted himself to designs for the warmer months, and occasionally dealt with watercolors, oil paintings, drawings, illustrations and graphics.
