Zdenka Braunerová

Zdislava Rosalina Augusta Braunerová, called Zdenka (9 April 1858, Prague - 23 May 1934, Prague) was a Czech landscape painter, illustrator and graphic artist, whose work was influenced by her connection to Paris. She was the first female member of the Mánes Union of Fine Arts, and a patron of numerous other Czech artists.

She was born into a wealthy family. Her father was František August Brauner, a member of the Imperial Council. She developed her interest in art from her mother, Augusta, who was an amateur painter. Prominent writers and artists were regular guests at her home. As her talents became apparent, she began taking lessons from Amalie Mánesová. Later, she studied with Soběslav Pinkas.

All of this was in addition to her regular education, and her parents were taken by surprise when she informed them that she had decided to pursue painting as a profession, but they could not dissuade her. In part, this decision may have been prompted by her meeting with Antonín Chittussi, a young painter with whom she would develop a long friendship, verging on a romance. The relationship cooled, however, toward the end of Chittussi's life, as did one with Julius Zeyer, who was seventeen years her senior. Later, a planned marriage to Vilém Mrštík was called off at the last minute.

A major inspiration for her art was Paris, where she spent part of each year from 1881 to 1893, and the painters of the Barbizon school. Her future brother-in-law, Élémir Bourges, served as her guide and introduced her to many literary figures such as Maurice Maeterlinck and Anatole France. While there, she also attended the Académie Colarossi and exhibited frequently; in Paris at the Salon and in Prague at the Rudolfinum. However, through all of these years, she never abandoned her connections to her homeland, often taking part in performances where she would dance in Czech costumes and sing folk songs. She had, in fact considered becoming a singer before turning to art. In 1896, she became the first female member of the Mánes Union of Fine Arts, but was apparently expelled in 1906.

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