The son of a Moravian peasant, Jan Uprka, Uprka learned the rudiments of painting from his father, an amateur folk painter, who passed his love of artistic expression to his son. Uprka later solidified his skills at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. In his 20s, he moved to Munich, where he enrolled at the Academy and was a founding member of a Czech students organization (The Škreta student association) Uprka was its chairman from April 25th, 1885. Alfons Mucha enrolled in the arts academy in Munich in the autumn of the same year. Following Mucha to Paris in 1892, Uprka was able to study and exhibit at the Salon with his friend's assistance.

Uprka remained devoted to his country of origin, particularly to Southern Moravia, whose pe...