Obrázky a „opráski” z českých dějin. O stylu obrázkových seriálů věnovaných historii

The article analyses the style of two picture series dealing with Czech history. The analysis focuses primarily on the way of mediating historical knowledge as well as forming and establishing cultural memory in the two series which are compared. In connection with this, the use of language, the construction of meanings and the interplay between verbal and visual components are described.  The picture series investigated represent opposing approaches to the issue of cultural (historical) memory. The objective of Obrazky z ceských dějin a pověsti (Pictures from Czech History and Legends; 1980, revised edition 1996) is to depict a traditional version of Czech history and support its adoption by recipients (children being the main target group). Obrazky include various informal, derogatory and anachronistic elements, but these components are used purposefully to attract the interest of recipients in a didactic presentation of historical events. On the other hand, Opraski sceski historje (perhaps: Pictures from Czech History; 2014–2015) submit an alternative, subversive, comical and absurd version of Czech history. Their objective is to destruct the traditional view of such history. In order to achieve this effect, Opraskitake advantage of intentional orthographical mistakes (with great invention), play with the language, polysemy of words, anachronisms and intertextual relations to contemporary popular culture.