Jindřich Procházka

“ He is not a historian, but he dreams his poems so sincerely, and so fully is he immersed in his dreams that he carries us with him. Ales does not "draw" the public with wonderful and clever tricks of his palette or brush, but he who loves direct, simple art, the true Czech modesty of old times, and a pleasant and unaffected communicativeness, will find in Ales a pleasant, valuable companion. His art does not deceive; it is simple, honest, direct. The art of Ales is as simple as a national Czech melody. The decorative lunettes in the National Theatre in Prague were designed by Ales and Zenisek. ”

“ THIS inspiration of our peasant art, the true flower of the soil of Bohemia, speaks to us from all the real, sincere art of Czech masters. It speaks through different technic, through different medium. Manes, Hynais, Zenisek, Ales, Mucha, Uprka, are a few representative names of modern Czech art. The Slavonic element in these masters is unmistakable.
The memory of the rich flower decoration of Moravian cottages is so strong in Mucha that ornament becomes in his art an end in itself. In his decorative work "Our Father" he prays through exuberant design. ”

“ His typical figures of humanity — old, grey-haired patriarchs, manly youths, or buxom young peasant women — are all in the daring rythmic colours of the Slav national costume. Uprka's canvasses rebelliously but triumphantly dance in light and colour; the artist lives and feels with the subjects of his paintings: work in the meadows and fields, village life, joys, feasts, dances, prayers. In his art there is nothing melancholy ”