Štěpán Zavřel I

Štěpán Zavřel's illustrations from 'The Star Tellers' (Die Sterntaler). The Czech illustrator Štěpán Zavřel (1932-1999) was born in Prague and first specialised in animation. In 1959 he escaped Czechoslovakia and made his way to Italy where he was welcomed in the Trieste refugee camp. He furthered his studies in Rome at the Faculty of Painting of the Academy of Fine Arts. 
Štěpán then moved to Germany and studied stage design and theatrical costume at the Munich Kunstakademie. He returned to Italy working as an illustrator and was greatly involved in establishing networks, exhibitions and foundations to encourage and support this art form.