89th Auction, lot 32 Blažíček’s artistic development in the 1940s was influenced by a whole series of unfavourable factors. Among them was severe joint rheumatism that limited him in his work and the events of the Second World War, which marked the end of his university teaching activities. However, these circumstances also brought him to new locations near where he was treated at the time, such as Karlovy Vary, Lázně Bělohrad, Teplice, and Mariánské Lázně. The range of Blažíček’s subject matters had always been very wide; no later than 1914 he became interested in the topic of garden restaurants, which was already popular with the French and Munich Impressionists. He managed to fill the presented painting with a lyrical, harmonious atmosphere and an optimistic mood, which was characteristic of his works. As many times before, he sensitively captured not only the light atmosphere full of juicy green shades interspersed with earthy shades of brown, but also the pleasant spirit of a garden restaurant where you can relax and have a drink during a Sunday walk. The painting was repeatedly exhibited at the artist’s solo exhibitions: (Oldřich Blažíček /1887–1953/: Selection from works, Gallery of Fine Art in Karlovy Vary, 23. 7. – 23. 8. 1981, No. 74; Oldřich Blažíček /1887–1953/: Selection from works, Gallery of Fine Art in Cheb, from 21. 4. 1983, No. 74; Oldřich Blažíček: Comprehensive exhibition on the 30th anniversary of his death, Regional Museum in Teplice, September–October 1983; Oldřich Blažíček: Exhibition to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth, Horácká [Highland] Gallery in Nové Město na Moravě, 6. 6. – 30. 8. 1987, No. 110). The value of this artwork is further enhanced by its listing in the artist’s monograph and inventory by PhDr. N. Blažíčková-Horová and PhDr. E. Havlová (cat. No. 731, fig. p. 376 of the inventory). Previously, it belonged to the important collection of Norman and Suzanne Hascoe, also known as The Hascoe Family Collection, and was exhibited at Sotheby’s, London, in 2011.