"Old Town Tower and Charles Bridge, Prague" by Jan C. Vondrous, Czech, (1884-1974)

Etching, 1915, Ed. unknown, 6-1/8 x 3-1/2, signed and dated in the plate, on thick buff wove paper, with one spot of foxing upper right margin corner away from subject, a rich, crisp impression of this striking little print. Born in Czechoslovakia, Vondrous moved to New York at an early age and studied etching under James D. Smillie at the National Academy of Design. Highly skilled in portraying architecture, his early subjects included views of New York City. Traveling to Europe after World War I, Vondrous was captivated by both Venice and Bruges, and spent a decade producing many fine etchings of each city. In 1929 he returned to his native country, settling in Prague where he continued to etch and paint. A member of several printmaking societies, his work is held by the Art Institute of Chicago, New York Public Library, British Museum, and Victoria & Albert Museum among others.