Portrait of Mikoláš Aleš 

Maximilian Pirner made this drawing of Mikoláš Aleš, employing a delicate graphite technique on paper. The composition is immediately striking for its use of line and shadow to create a sense of depth and form. The softness of the lines lends the portrait a certain ethereal quality. The artwork's structure is built upon a foundation of contrasts. Note the way Pirner uses hatching and cross-hatching to define the contours of Aleš's face and hair, juxtaposing darker areas with the untouched white of the paper. This interplay creates a dynamic tension, drawing the viewer's eye across the image, from the soft curls of hair to the sharp angle of the nose. Consider how this formal arrangement might relate to the portrayal of Aleš himself. The soft, flowing lines could be seen as representing his artistic sensitivity, while the precise detailing hints at his intellectual rigor. The portrait exists as a symbol of the creative mind, caught between the worlds of imagination and reality.