František Kobliha – "Passion Ballad" (Balada pašijová) – Original Signed Woodcut, Czechoslovakia 1947

This evocative piece is an illustration for Jan Neruda's famous poetry collection, Balady a romance (Ballads and Romances), specifically for the poem "Balada pašijová". It features a classic Symbolist composition: a lone, mourning figure—likely the Virgin Mary—standing at the foot of the Cross, with only the lower portion of the crucified Christ visible.

True to Kobliha's style, the work uses dense, expressive linework and deep blacks to create a somber, dramatic atmosphere that reflects the "second wave" of Czech Symbolism. The diagonal lines in the background simulate driving rain or spiritual tension, a recurring motif in Kobliha's darker, literary-inspired graphics.

• Artist: František Kobliha (hand-signed in pencil as "F. Kobliha" in the lower right).
• Technique: Original woodcut (dřevoryt).
• Dimensions: Image: 16 x 11 cm | Passe-partout: 30 x 25 cm.
• Year: Published in the 1947 bibliophile edition by Jan Pohořelý.

František Kobliha was a visionary leader of the influential Sursum art group. Heavily inspired by the dark romanticism of Edgar Allan Poe, his works are celebrated for their mystical and psychological depth. Today, his pieces are held in prestigious permanent collections, including the National Gallery in Prague and the Albertina in Vienna.