Václav Fiala (1896–1980) was not only a graphic artist, but also a painter, illustrator, occasional writer, and designer of several postage stamps. Today his work is perceived as a somewhat dry, descriptive realism. And his connection to the official art structures of the former regime discredits him. Nevertheless, there’s at least one aspect that may interest contemporary viewers; it relates to his life story — in particular, a period during his younger years. Fiala was born in Prague although his parents soon moved to Ukraine, where he grew up. After studying in Vienna and Kharkiv, he briefly attended the St. Petersburg Academy (1915-16). The war took him to Siberia and Manchuria, and in 1919 he settled in Vladivostok, where he became close to the Russian futurist David Burliuk, one of the most important figures of the Russian avant-garde, whose sister Mariana he married. In 1920, the couple traveled together to Japan. They spent the winter of 1920/21 on the Bonin Islands, then stayed in Yokohama and Tokyo, finally returning to Prague via China and Singapore. Fiala began attending Max Švabinský’s graphic arts course at the Prague Academy of Fine Arts. Gradually he became involved in the local art scene, proceeding to become a member of the Hollar Association of Czech Graphic Artists, and then its chairman.