Cranach's Super Lyrics with Imperialist Flower 1954

"Cranach's Super Lyrics with Imperialist Flower" by Mikuláš Medek is a painting dominated by an eerie red figure against a solid blue background, it’s quite striking. I imagine Medek starting with that solid blue, maybe even enjoying the flatness of it before he disrupted it with that figure emerging from a box-like structure. What was he thinking as he painted her skin that radiant red? It’s a color that pulses with energy, but in this context, feels almost unsettling, like a fever dream. I wonder if he labored over the placement of that single flower, and the razor blade next to the girl’s nose—such an unexpected juxtaposition. There's a real dialogue happening here. The bold color choices, the surreal imagery, and the way he's playing with form – Medek is not only talking to us, but to painters of the past. The title suggests he may be in conversation with Cranach, a Renaissance master. Through these conversations across time, painters inspire and challenge one another, constantly reshaping how we see and experience the world.