The sculptor and medallist Jaromír Mára attended the Academy of Arts Architecture and Design in Prague from 1907 to 1914, where studied under the tutorship of Josef Drahoňovský, Stanislav Sucharda and Celda Klouček. After returning from the war, he was a pupil of Jan Štursa at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague from 1916 to 1919.
Probably during the early 1920s, he undertook several study trips around Germany and France. This practically forgotten artist whose work, according to experts in his artwork, was basically a continuation of the Decorativism of his tutors at the aforementioned college and which, in portraits, “was not too dissimilar to the sketching and study phases”. In 1921, he took part in a restricted design competition for Czechoslovak coins, and his resulting designs were purchased by the state. A year later, he created a commemorative plaque to French students for the university in Strasburg. During the First Republic, he worked on the sculptural decoration of a range of public buildings: the district technical colleges of Kutná Hora, Mladá Boleslav and Litomyšl (04-659), district institutes for medical treatment in Cvikov and Opařany, the State Health Institute and Accident Insurance Agency in Prague, and (predominantly with relief-work) state spas and hospitals in Slovakia. At the same time he designed many medals and plaques. Early specialist literature mentions his name in connection with a commemorative plaque placed “in the death chamber of Bedřich Smetana”. During the 1950s, he was active as a heritage institute officer.
1921
Medals for the 1st International Student Congress in Prague Congress
1923
Commemorative plaque with a relief portrait of Svatopluk Čech
Pod Havránkou Street 134, Prague 7-Troja
1927
Statue of Mother and Child
Hamza Treatment Centre for Children and Adults, Luže-Košumberk
1933
Medals for the World Championship in Canadian hockey
1947
Badge for the Congress of Former Students of the Obchodní akademie in Smíchov
- Pamětní desky v Praze, průvodce po pražských pamětních deskách, dostupné online: https://www.pametni-desky-v-praze.cz/products/cech-svatopluk-na-dome-cp-134-v-ulici-pod-havrankou-15-v-praze-7-troja-/ (vyhledáno 5. 3. 2019).
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Dalibor Prix a kol., Umělecké památky Prahy. Velká Praha M/Ž, 1. M–U, Praha 2017, s. 758, 762.
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Neuveden, Přemístění sochy akademického sochaře Jaromíra Máry, Zpravodaj HL [Hamzovy léčebny], 2011, duben, s. 1.
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Petr Haimann, Slovník autorů a zhotovitelů mincí, medailí, plaket, vyznamenání a odznaků se vztahem k Čechám, Moravě, Slezsku a Slovensku (1505–2005), Praha 2006, s. 282.
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Alena Malá (ed.), Slovník českých a slovenských výtvarných umělců 1950–2002 VIII, Man–Miž, Ostrava 2002, s. 29.
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Emanuel Poche a kol., Umělecké památky Čech 2, Praha 1978, s. 186, 333, 400.
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Emanuel Poche a kol., Umělecké památky Čech 1, Praha 1977, s. 440.
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Václav Procházka – Růžena Semrádová (eds.), Česká a slovenská medaile 1508–1968, (kat. výst.), Praha – Bratislava 1969, s. 70.
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Neuveden, Pětašedesátka Jaromíra Máry, Výtvarná práce IV, 1956, č. 10, s. 11.
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Prokop Toman, Nový slovník československých výtvarných umělců II, L–Ž, Praha 1950, s. 87–88.
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Ottův slovník naučný nové doby, dílu čtvrtého svazek prvý, Praha 1936, s. 49.
