Josef Lada (17 December 1887 – 14 December 1957) was a Czech painter, illustrator, cartoonist and writer. He was pioneer of the Czech comicbook tradition and founder of the "Czech modern fairytale" genre. He is considered one of the greatest Czech artists of all times – which is also what the artist Pablo Picasso had claimed him to be. He is best known for his children's books and as the illustrator of Jaroslav Hašek's World War I novel The Good Soldier Švejk. He's an author of over 15,000 illustrations (both colour and black and white) and more than 600 paintings. The main themes and motives of his work include the following: home village Hrusice, water goblins and sprites, night watchmen, pub fights and the traditional pig-slaughter.
Lada was born on 17 December 1887 in Hrusice, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary. He has produced many different types of works, including paintings, illustrations, cartoons, and pieces of writing.
Despite being entirely self-taught, Josef Lada became a respected artist in Czechoslovakia. Lada's work has become one of the Czech national trademarks and its popularity (among anyone aged 3 and up) does not seem to be declining. Since new pieces of work get discovered almost every year, the total number of his paintings is unknown. The last count shows, however, that this number is closer to 600 rather than 400 (which is what the previous official estimate stated).
The amount of his illustrations is even larger. There is estimated to be over 15000 pieces of work (black and white or colour) published in various fiction books, newspapers and magazines. Cartoons, including political satire, represent a very significant part of Lada's production. Despite being over 100 years old now, most of these sketches are still very popular (and relevant) today. Lada is one of the founders of the Czech cartoon and comic book tradition. The best example of his "illustrations for adults" is the drawings to complement the work of Jaroslav Hašek – especially his novel "The Good Soldier Švejk". In combination with Lada's illustrations, the text represents a piece of writing that is still getting published all over the world today. Josef Lada has made his mark as a writer as well. "The Chronicle of my Life" details his life and work. He's also written some Czech fairy tales such as "Mikeš – The Adventures of the Talking Cat", "Cunning Godmother Fox" or "Bogeyman and Water Sprites". He illustrated books of other authors as well, including Jan Drda, Karel Jaromír Erben and Božena Němcová.
Josef Lada (author of text and illustration): Mikeš
German translation: Otfried Preussler - Kater Mikesch. Publication date 1936, publisher Verlagsauerlaender
English translation: Renata Symonds - Purrkin the talking cat. Publication date 1966, publisher Harrap
Josef Lada (author of text and illustration): O chytré kmotře lišce
Japan translation: The story of a fox. Publication date 1966, publisher Fukuinkan Shoten
Korean translation: The story of a fox. Publication date 1998, publisher BIR Publishing Co., Ltd.
The Josef Lada and Alena Ladová memorial museum is placed in Lada's former house in Hrusice. It was first open in June 1986.
There is an asteroid named Josef Lada (17625, 1996 AY1). It was discovered by P. Pravec and L. Šarounová from the Onřejov observatory, 14 January 1996
Josef Lada's father was a shoemaker. At the age of one, little Josef fell over in his workroom and managed to hurt himself so unfortunately that he permanently lost sight in his right eye
Josef Lada was the youngest of four children. He had a brother named František and two sisters, Antonie and Marie
Lada's famous cut out Nativity scene got published 35 times
To this day, there are 10 different versions of Lada's colouring pages
Each year 6 to 8 different calendars are published
Poet and a Nobel Prize laureate Jaroslav Seifert complemented Lada's illustration by his verses in book ... first published in 1956;