Biography:
Vojtech Preissig (1873-1944)
Preissig was a Czech printmaker, designer, illustrator, painter and teacher. He studied in Prague at the School of Applied Industrial Art rom 1892 to 1896 and at the School of Decorative Architecture from 1897 to 1898.
In 1897 he moved to Paris and worked for two years with the Czech Art Nouvea artist, Alphonse Mucha. His early Secessionist work was influenced by Japanese art and Symbolism. He returned to Prague in 1903 where he founded the periodical Ceska grafika (Czech Graphics), published the book Barevny lept a barevná rytina (Color Etchings and Color Engravings) in 1909 and opened his own graphics studio in 1905. The studio was not a financial success so he moved to the United States in 1910 and worked as an art instructor. Preissig remained in the United States until 1930. He taught at Columbia University, the Art Students League of New York and then moved to Boston by 1916 teaching graphic arts for the Wentworth Institute. He became the director of the School of Printing and Graphic Arts, until 1926.] During his time with the Wentworth Institute he designed recruitment posters for the United States World War I armed forces which were principally aimed at Czech immigrants.
Preissig, along with his daughter supported the Czech resistance during both World Wars and was arrested in 1940 for his graphic design work for one of the most important magazines of the resistance, ‘V boi’ (Into the Fight), that had been outlawed by German authorities.
He died on the 11th of June, 1944 in Dachau concentration camp.
