Emigrants,” he devoted himself to the portrayal of scenes from Czech history, with there and here a realistic genre picture in the sentimental manner of Gallait. In Paris his colouring gained in brilliance, the lessons of the great masters were thoroughly absorbed by him and he attained a mastery of technique. Meanwhile, the success of Hébert’s “Malaria” had turned the Czech artist’s aspirations into a new groove—the beautiful idealised peasant. He left off delving into history books and undertook two great tours—they may almost be called journeys of exploration—in the Jugoslav countries, full of romantic wildness, in Dalmatia, Herzegovina and Montenegro. Then there appeared at the Salons Montenegrin love-scenes and the heroic exploits of the Jugoslavs fighting for their freedom. These pictures had a very favourable reception.
His numerous pictures show that he was able to understand and analyse his model, and the little sketches he painted in Normandy and in the forest of Fontainebleau prove that he, a romantic historian, nearly became a realist of the Barbizon school.
Thus, it is to Jaroslav Čermák, as well as to František Zvěřina, a draughtsman of originality and an adventurous traveller in the most out of the way corners of the Balkan Peninsula, that we owe the introduction of the Balkans into Czech art. Moreover, his charm as a colourist and the harmonious flexibility of his composition ensure for these portrayals of peasants the approval even of those who see them to-day. Besides these semi-official works, which have been widely reproduced, Čermák has left us several portraits of merit, among them that of Madame Gallait, and an admirable series of studies made during his leisure moments in Normandy and at Fontainebleau, in which the influence of Decamps may be traced.
The pilgrimage to France now became the rule.
