Josef Haszpra

Life Haszpra was born on 15 March 1882 in Nadošany (Hontnádas) in Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary (today Hontianske Trsťany, Slovakia). The family was one of smiths and passed the craft from father to son. His father was Herman (Armín) Haszpra and his mother was Marie Birovská. When his family moved to Budapest just a few years after his birth, Haszpra had to attend Hungarian schools. He was trained as a caster and founder and worked first in Budapest, where his master craftsman took notice of his skills and assigned him to more complex works in founding and casting large bronze statues. After some time, he became a foreman and left with a group he was leading to Vienna, where they worked for the "Srpek a spol." company, again on creating large bronze statues. The company eventually moved to Brandýs nad Labem, a town in Bohemia in the vicinity of Prague, where a foundry was founded for casting the monument of Master Johannes Hus to be placed to Old Town's square in Prague. This foundry became later the foundation of the company Melichar a Umrath and today's Brandýské strojírny a slévárny. Haszpra created additional artistic works and trained new casters. While…Citește mai mult

Josef Haszpra (15 March 1882 – 21 November 1966) was a Czech-Slovak caster, who created or helped to create many statues in Central Europe, especially in Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Austria.

Work Josef Haszpra created or helped to create many statues in Central Europe, especially in the former Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Austria. Among his most important works are:

Monument of Johannes Hus on Old Town's Square in Prague (1915) Statue of T. G. Masaryka in Brandýs nad Labem (1947) Statue "Becoming Brothers" of sculptor Pokorný in Česká Třebová (reused on former 50 crowns banknotes) Statue for the World Expo in Brussels of sculptor Lauda (1958)