The year 2021 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of František Kupka - a painter, graphic artist and illustrator whose paintings belong to the most valuable and sought-after Czech works in the world. On this occasion, a half-ounce gold medal of the Czech Mint has been created, which is part of a free cycle of the most beautiful unrealised designs entered into the Czech National Bank's competitions. 

František Kupka became one of the founders of world abstract painting. However, he tried out a number of different artistic styles before he gave up experimenting altogether. He first apprenticed as a saddler, but even then he earned money by painting signboards, holy pictures and beer coasters. After his apprenticeship he set up an art workshop and his parents allowed him to study painting due to recommendation of a respected Dobruška factory owner. He got to the Prague Academy, where he dealt mainly with historical, folklore and patriotic themes, his idol being Josef Mánes. After he left to study in Vienna, he painted mostly symbolic and allegorical paintings and earned his living by commissioning portraits. For his further studies in Paris, he earned money in various ways - he painted industrial posters, illustrated books, and created satirical sketches. It was in France that he became interested in modern art movements - especially Futurism - and created his own abstract paintings. He became one of the pioneers of Orphism, which brought visual art together with music and poetry, and was one of the first painters to paint not only colours and shapes, but also lights, sounds and impressions. He became famous at Cubist exhibitions, but he himself did not want to be associated with any artistic movement... 

The design of the commemorative medal was based on a design by the medal maker Vojtěch Dostál, DiS., which was awarded second place in the competition of the Czech National Bank. The expert committee particularly appreciated "the very good portrait, which is created in Kupka's artistic technique". On the obverse side, it is accompanied by the artist's name FRANTIŠEK KUPKA and the annual years 1871-2021. The reverse side of the medal is then dedicated to an iconic painting called "Amorphous“. The two-colour fugue", which represents one of the first abstract paintings in the history of art. 

The schedule of issuance has only 99 pieces. Each medal is also hand-numbered on the edge.