As is well known, comics are a modern literary genre in which drawings are arranged in chronological order with accompanying text, creating a story. So-called bubbles are used to depict the direct speech of the characters. Often a few lines below the drawing are used to explain the content. Currently, fantasy themes dominate comics, but the fates of historical characters and events are also popular. This is the creative area of artist and author Ales Mrázek, who is currently working on his eighth comic story.
Aleš Mrázek has so far written, painted and published the cartoon stories of Cyril and Methodius Between Idol and Cross (2013) Jan Hus ( 2015), Pejskova dobrodružství (2016), Martin Luther: God's Justice (2017), Jan Amos Komenský (2020), Friend of the Indians David Zeisberger (2021) and Lili: From Totality to Freedom (2022). He is currently working on his eighth comic story, which is mainly about Kristian David, the founder of the settlement and later town of Herrnhut , Czech for Ochranov, in Saxon Lusatia. The book will deal with the Unity of the Brethren and the Moravians who emigrated there with the legendary carpenter, together with the Czechs.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves
First of all, with the following lines we should learn at least basic information about the painter and writer presented.
He was born on 1 April 1978 in Roudnice nad Labem. He graduated from SUPŠS Kamenický Šenov in glass engraving. He used to work in a stained glass workshop in Bakov nad Jizerou, and his life has long been connected with fine arts, history and literature, which is crowned by his original works. His brother Jan, seven years older than him, introduced him to fine art and his own work. Together, the boys enjoyed drawing and painting series after an inspiring reading of the popular Four Leaf Cloverfield. However, Ales became so interested in painting that he started visiting galleries to figure out how to do his own art.
He was particularly fond of impressionism and his great painting model was Antonín Slavíček. His painting The Sun in the Forest, for example, he repeatedly went to see in the gallery in Roudnice. And he painted and painted and painted. He tried to get into the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in the field of painting, also at the UMPRUM, but despite his considerable talent, he did not get among the students. This did not prevent him from having several exhibitions of his landscape oil paintings in Litoměřice, Štětí or Roudnice nad Labem. Since 2010, however, he has devoted himself to creating historical comics, which he writes and draws, rather than painting in the open air. However, Aleš Mrázek has not given up working with palette and brushes and is currently preparing his presentation in one of the galleries in Mělník.
He has been interested in history since childhood
Jan Hus and Jan Amos Komenský, and other great figures of our history and related events he knew from his history lessons, but these could not satisfy the curious boy. A major shift in the study of history was brought about by a major step in the life of Ales, who, although he grew up in an atheist family, found his own way to Christianity in 1993. He was baptized at the age of fifteen and began to orient himself to church issues, including Protestantism and Catholicism. In 2007 he visited Suchdol nad Odrou for the first time and discovered an extraordinary museum dedicated to the Moravian Brothers. Until then, he knew practically nothing about them. He was extremely intrigued by the topic and began to study the history of the Unit of Brothers, especially the influence of J. A. Comenius, Kristian David and other leaders. He became a regular visitor to the museum in Suchdol nad Odrou. He also repeatedly visited Herrnhut and the local museum, and some time ago Ales Mrázek became an active member of the historical and patriotic association Moravian.
He literally fell in love with the Moravians
Aleš Mrázek was impressed by the museum's expositions, both about mission stations on six continents of the world and exhibitions dedicated to the personalities of Unity and David Zeisberger. In Suchdol, during his trips, he met a wonderful man, perfectly knowledgeable about the history of the Moravian Brothers, Daniel Říčan. The enthusiasm and interest of the well-known researcher in the young man pleased him, and in time Aleš Mrázek became a full member of the historical-patristic group Moravian, which organizes regular international conferences. Thus, much of the inspiration for many of Mrázek's comic books originated here. The writer and artist consulted with Mr. Říčan, among others, on his current work on the historical comic book In the Name of the Lamb, which tells the story of the founding and operation of the Unity of the Brethren, including the founding of the town of Herrnhut in 1722.
To this the author told us:
„ I am only a few pages short of the story, which will end with the memorable Lord's Supper of 1727, when the so-called outpouring of the Holy Spirit came to Ochranovo, resulting in that wonderful project of a mission to the whole world. The brothers did not leave voluntarily, most of them had to find another home, which ironically became the whole world.“
Let's refresh your memory
The Unity of Brethren with its turbulent history is one of the evangelical churches operating in the Czech Republic. It is a church that emerged from the Czech Reformation. The original Unity of Brethren became an important part of Czech and Moravian society over time. It was founded in 1457 in eastern Bohemia in Kunvald. The doctrine first elaborated by Brother Gregory was based on the views of Peter Chelčický. The brothers were to live in strict moral discipline and in voluntary poverty. By the end of the century this teaching had spread throughout the country. After the defeat of the Estates' anti-Habsburg uprising in 1620, the Unity was greatly persecuted by the Catholics.
Many of its supporters have gone abroad. Among them was Jan Amos Komenský. In the 1820s, the Moravian Church, the so-called Renewed Unity of the Brethren, built on its theological heritage on the estate of Count Zinzerdof in Saxon Upper Lusatia (Herrnhut - Ochranov). Herrnhut has become a destination of world importance. The Moravian Brothers were especially famous for their missions. Their footprints can still be found in various parts of the world where they went from Ochranov, where they found refuge after emigrating from their homeland. In Bohemia and Moravia, the renewed unity could not begin to operate publicly again until the second half of the 19th century.
Welcome to Suchdol nad Odrou - see.: museumoravskýchbratři.cz
Ivan Cerny
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