Motorcyclist

The sculpture was created by the academic sculptor Břetislav Benda (*28 March 1897 – †19 August 1983), a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. He was among the last students of the founders of modern Czech sculpture, J. V. Myslbek and Jan Štursa. During his lifetime, he created an extensive body of work comprising numerous chamber sculptures and more than one hundred life-size and larger-than-life sculptures, installed in many locations throughout Prague, across the Czech Republic, and abroad.
The central theme of Benda’s work was the female figure, particularly the female nude. He was known as the “sculptor of the female body,” and indeed, his sculptures evoke a simple, natural beauty, intimate moods, a sense of happiness, and other emotions that carry both artistic and human value. Benda also left a distinctive mark in other areas of sculpture. Particularly noteworthy are his works depicting rural life and human labor, as well as his sacred sculptures and works inspired by Czech statehood.

A distinctive part of Benda’s oeuvre consists of designs and creations of sports trophies and the President’s Awards. These were produced during the First Czechoslovak Republic, when the young state placed considerable emphasis on the development of physical education and sport. The Motorcyclist sculpture was created as a design for the Ministry of National Defence Award for the best military rider in the 1930 motorcycle competition. It is the only unnumbered example from a rare series of just seven sculptures, making it an exceptionally rare piece within this unique series.