Illustration Recalls Emperor's Final Days

Matěj Čadil, an artist from the Czech Republic, has recently completed a illustration of Blessed Karl titled, "The Emperor in Exile." Drawn on A3 paper using watercolor pencils, the illustration of Karl was completed as part of a Historical Personality challenge on Projekt ilustrace, a Czech illustration website that connects artists and invites them to create artworks on a given theme. The illustration was completed in conjunction with the 95th anniversary of the Emperor's death on April 1, 2017. 

Emperor Karl is depicted during his final days in Madeira amidst its picturesque landscape. Wearing the brown jacket that appears in many period photographs, Karl is shown in the terrace garden of his house in Monte overlooking the town of Funchal. In the background is the Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte (Our Lady of Monte), where Karl, Zita, and the children often visited and prayed.

As a traditional artist, Matěj focuses on landscape and architectural drawings, as well as fantasy illustrations inspired by the written works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Specializing in decorative border designs, Matěj takes his inspiration from historic periods in art history like the Middle Ages and Art Deco. He often combines his traditional art in his graphic design projects. The illustration of Blessed Karl is unique in that it fulfills Matěj's longtime-desire to create an artwork honoring Karl. In his own words, Matěj describes why the illustration of Karl is so important to him:

I am a great admirer of Blessed Karl as a Christian ruler, husband, and father. I chose him as one of my personal patron saints for my Baptism and Confirmation in 2012. I try to promote his legacy and devotion to him in my country by writing blog posts about his life and helping to organize events in his honor. Just a few years ago, a group of friends and I managed to restore a small forgotten, half-destroyed shrine in the Bohemian countryside which we rededicated to Blessed Karl. While he has been unjustly forgotten by modern history, we must remember Karl and the example he gives us today!

To learn more about Matěj Čadil and his artwork, click here.

Prints Available!

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