Emil Orlik counts among the most important artists of the late 19th and early 20th century. Born in Prague in 1870, he studied art in Munich, Emil Orlik would dedicate all his talents not only to painting, but also to graphic and commercial art throughout his life: Emil Orlik was active for the magazine "Die Jugend" [The Youth] and created numerous ex-libris and covers. Alongside, he also made numerous portraits of actors as of 1905, making for a comprehensive set of documents of a particular psychological deepness. Late Impressionism and Art Nouveau had decisive impact on Emil Orlik's style, additionally, a journey to Japan at the beginning of the 20th century contributed to an image conception that shows an extensive examination of the Ukiyo-e-woodcut.
Collections such as the Essen Museum Folkwang or the Museum Georg Schäfer in Schweinfurt own works by Emil Orlik, who is rightly remembered a sensitive observer of his days.