Michael Rittstein: A Voice of Czech Expressionism Michael Rittstein was born in Prague, Czech Republic in 1949, shaping his artistic vision amidst the complexities of Soviet influence and a burgeoning interest in surrealist ideas. His formative years at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague under Arnošt Paderlík instilled him with a foundational understanding of Baroque aesthetics – specifically the grandeur and dramatic storytelling found in baroque frescoes – which would profoundly impact his subsequent work. This early exposure to monumental art fueled a desire for ambitious narratives withi…