A Life Etched in Wood: The World of Zdeněk Mézl Zdeněk Mézl, born October 31st, 1934, and passing on May 23rd, 2016, was a Czech artist whose name became synonymous with the revival of traditional wood engraving. Though his life spanned much of the tumultuous 20th century and beyond, it was within the meticulous craft of this often-overlooked medium that Mézl found his enduring voice—a voice that spoke volumes about Slavic history, human folly, and the power of storytelling. His journey began in Prague, a city steeped in artistic heritage, where he first enrolled at the College of Applied Ar…