Zdeněk Burian: More Than Dinosaurs

Zdeněk Burian (1905-1981) was a Czechoslovak illlustrator best known for his depictions of prehistoric subjects.  His Englifh language Wikipedia entry is here.

The link does not mention his training, though it can be found in the French version.  He studied for a while at Prague's fine arts academy, but was mostly self-taught.  Since his father was an architect, he was exposed to illustration techniques while young.  That said, his technique changed little over his long career.

He was a very good illustrator with a feeling for action and atmosphere.  Wikipedia notes that once his work became known outside Czechoslovakia, it became influential in the field of paleontology illustration.

The images below show that his versatility extended beyond dinosaurs.

Gallery

A representative Burian dinosaur illustration.

A Pterosaur in a science-fiction setting.

Cave bears and hunters.

Painting cave walls.

An illustration for "Tarzan of the Apes" Chapter VIII.

Shooting a leopard.  Excellent depiction of the hunter as well as that of the beast.

French army attacking during the Great War.

Desert warriors.

"Madonna 20th Century"- 1962 - was the caption on the Web.