Josef Istler was born in 1919 in Prague.

Istler was considered more or less self-taught. He studied painting for only one year with the little-known German painter Walter Höfner, during his stay in Yugoslavia.

Istler was influenced by personalities of Czech surrealism, Karel Teig and Toyen, but during his artistic development one can also see the influence of artists around Václav Zykmund, on whose initiative the well-known group Ra.

Istler was a member of the Mánes group, a movement Phases, SCVG Hollar and especially the very significant group COBRA operating in the international field, which helped it to European context.

Later Istler was inspired by the works of V. Boudník or M. Medek. In ad...