Mikolas Ales (1852-1913) - a Czech painter, master in the art of pen and ink, born in Mirotice (Southern Bohemia) - is one of the most popular Czech painters. His paintings captured the spirit of Czech life during the turn of 19th century. Ales was Born in Mirotice near Pisek on November 18th, 1852. He attended his "main" school and later local gymnasium until the death of his mother in 1869.Then he left for Prague, to study painting in the art academy. Rather than from his teachers, he learned from the work of painter Josef Manes. Ales designed a cycle of paintings called "Homeland", which decorate the National Theater in Prague.
During his summer vacation, Ales used to return to his hometown and in his paintings captured the personality of the country life.He married in 1879 and in the same year left to Italy. In the following years, he worked in his small apartment in Prague, because he did not own any atelier. He decorated fronts of houses with paintings scratched to the stucco in Prague, Pilsen and other towns in Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia. In the dawn of his life, Ales had about 5,000 published pictures. He painted for magazines, illustrated books, text books and poems. He painted shooting targets, diplomas, invitations, playing cards, nativities, wall calendars, postal cards, and headings.Mikolas died in Prague, in Vinohrady in July 10, 1913 at the age of 60 years. He is buried in Vysehrad cemetery.Ales, with his personality, was a typical Czech. That is reflected in all his work, for which he is still so close to the people of the Czech land.