Prehistoric Man By The Fire. Old Black And White Illustration. Vintage Drawing. Illustration By Zdenek Burian

Prehistoric man by the fire. Old black and white illustration. Vintage drawing. Illustration by Zdenek Burian. Zdenek Michael Frantisek Burian (11 February 1905 in Koprivnice, Moravia, Austria-Hungary 1 July 1981 in Prague, Czechoslovakia) was a Czech painter, book illustrator and palaeoartist whose work played a central role in the development of palaeontological reconstruction. Originally recognised only in his native Czechoslovakia, Burian's fame later spread to an international audience during a remarkable career spanning six decades (1930s to 1980s). He is regarded by many as one of the most influential palaeoartists of the modern era, and a number of subsequent artists have attempted to emulate his style. Zdenek Burian's unique vision of prehistoric life has been the source of inspiration for generations of palaeontologists and artists specialised in fossil reconstruction.