Jaroslav Bejvl
(13. 4. 1941) The artist Jaroslav Bejvl first became famous as a glass designer and an expert
on lighting. He has designed lights which illuminate for instance Ritz
Carlton hotels in Philadelphia, Hong-Kong or Beijing. For Swissotel in Moscow
he designed a glass mosaic made of etched glass of one hundred and
sixty square metres in size. He worked as a lighting expert in Minsk, Tehran
and Tunis and other world cities. His name has become famous not only in
Europe and Asia but also across the Atlantic. In 1981 he started designing
coins and commemorative medals which represent a significant part of his
creative work. He was successful in a whole range of competitions which
were announced by the Czech National Bank, the Prague Mint and also by
other customers. He has prepared around three hundred and fifty designs
of which roughly sixty have been produced. He produced his first minted
medal in 1987 when he won over the competition of forty other artists with
a motive on the centenary of the birth of the Czech painter Josef Lada. He
is also the author of the circulated Czech 20-heller which was in circulation
until 2003. His last work was a medal dedicated to the famous St Vitus
Cathedral in Prague which was minted by the Prague Mint in pure gold of
1,000 grams in weight. The artist has an exceptional sense for detail and
fine drawing.
Jaroslav Bejvl was born in Šumava. As a soldier he was enlisted to the town
of Česká Kamenice where he married and where he has been living ever
since. He studied at the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Prague, and he
was given private lessons of bas-relief by professor Ladislav Havlas.
nterview:
How did you start designing coins and medals?
Once while I was still studying I read in the newspaper that the Czech National
Bank announced a competition in designing a coin featuring Jan Neruda. I decided
that I would try it and I asked for the conditions. Right at the beginning
I received an exceptional remuneration which encouraged me to participate in
other competitions, and then more work started coming.
Do you keep records of how many designs you have made in total?
Yes, I do. However, I do not have the exact number, but it is roughly three
hundred and fifty designs. About sixty of which were produced, and the others
always received some award or remuneration.
What gives you greater satisfaction?
Production of medals or work with light?
Work with lighting is practically my lifelong job and mission and I do it therefore
with enthusiasm, I enjoy it. Coin and medal designs complement my work
in designing, they are my second passion.
Which coin or medal gives you the greatest joy?
My first produced coin which was very popular among collectors, of course,
pleased me most. Another one featuring the Břevnov Monastery was also successful.
But every coin or medal which is successful and which gets produced
makes me happy.
Your designs are known for their elaborate detail.
On which design did you spend probably the longest time?
The Saharna Monastery medal for the Moldavian Republic which I made six
years ago is certainly worth mentioning. It was a very demanding work because
the customer submitted drawing designs of its artists and it required
that every detail had to be meticulously drawn. No deviation – not even the
slightest one – was allowed. They certainly insisted on their design. For instance
there were windows on the monastery which are almost invisible on the
coin, but all of them had to be shown on the model.
Zdeněk Galuška - 100. výročí narození Ag patina 99,44 €
Vojtěch Hynais - 160. výročí narození zlato b.k. 1 914,54 €
Vojtěch Hynais - 160. výročí narození stříbro patina 85,78 €
Stříbrná medaile Katedrála sv. Víta, Václava a Vojtěcha - 50 mm Proof 323,48 €
Sada zlatého dukátu a stříbrného odražku Relikvie svatého Václava - II. - proof 476,84 €
Sada zlatého dukátu a stříbrného odražku Relikvie svatého Václava - I. - proof 476,84 €
Relikvie sv. Václava - II. - Ag 28mm Proof 71,84 €
Relikvie sv. Václava - II. - 1 Oz Ag Proof 191,21 €
Relikvie sv. Václava - II. - 1/2 Oz zlato Proof 1 914,54 €
Relikvie sv. Václava - II. - 1 Oz zlato b.k. 3 759,58 €
Relikvie sv. Václava - II. - 1 Oz Měď b.k. 19,93 €
Relikvie sv. Václava - I. - Ag 28mm Proof 71,84 €
Relikvie sv. Václava - I. - 1 Oz Ag Proof 191,21 €
Relikvie sv. Václava - I. - 1/2 Oz zlato Proof 1 914,54 €
Relikvie sv. Václava - I. - 1 Oz zlato b.k. 3 759,58 €
Relikvie sv. Václava - I. - 1 Oz Měď b.k. 19,93 €
RABÍ JEHUDA LÖW – návrhy mince 200 Kč - sada II. 3x stříbro 34mm b.k. v etui 190,73 €
RABÍ JEHUDA LÖW – návrhy mince 200 Kč - sada II. 3x stříbro 1 Oz Proof 426,52 €
POSTAVEN OBECNÍ DŮM V PRAZE – návrhy mince 200 Kč - sada 3x stříbro 34mm b.k. 171,57 €
POSTAVEN OBECNÍ DŮM V PRAZE – návrhy mince 200 Kč - sada 3x stříbro 1 Oz Proof 426,52 €
Matyáš Bernard Braun - 275. výročí úmrtí Au b.k. 1 914,54 €
Matyáš Bernard Braun - 275. výročí úmrtí Ag patina 99,44 €
Marc Chagall - 125. výročí narození Ag b.k. 111,42 €
M. Aleš - 160. výročí narození Au b.k. 1 914,54 €
M. Aleš - 160. výročí narození Ag b.k. 111,42 €
KAREL JAROMÍR ERBEN – návrhy mince 500 Kč - sada 3x stříbro 34mm b.k. 181,15 €
KAREL JAROMÍR ERBEN – návrhy mince 500 Kč - sada 3x stříbro 1 Oz Proof 426,52 €
Josef Šebánek - 100. výročí narození stříbro patina 85,78 €
Jiří Šlitr - 90. výročí narození zlato b.k. 1 914,54 €
Jiří Šlitr - 90. výročí narození stříbro patina 85,78 €
Jan Karafiát - Broučci - zlato 1/2 Oz proof 1 857,03 €
Jan Karafiát - Broučci - zlato 1 Oz proof 3 329,47 €
Jan Karafiát - Broučci - stříbro 28mm Proof 71,29 €
Jan Karafiát - Broučci - stříbro 1 Oz proof 99,44 €
Jan Karafiát - Broučci - Měď 1 Oz b.k. 19,93 €
BENO BLACHUT – návrhy mince 500 Kč - sada 3x stříbro 34mm b.k. 163,90 €
BENO BLACHUT – návrhy mince 500 Kč - sada 3x stříbro 1 Oz Proof 426,52 €