Theodor Pištěk, the renowned Czech artist whose costume designs for Milos Forman’s ‘Amadeus’ earned him an Academy Award, has passed away at age 93. The town of Mukařov, his place of residence just east of Prague, announced his death on Thursday, which was subsequently confirmed by his family to the CTK news agency. He died on Wednesday, though specific details regarding the cause were not disclosed.
Pištěk’s extraordinary career spanned decades, beginning with collaborations on director František Vláčil’s films in the late 1950s, including the critically acclaimed ‘Marketa Lazarová’ and ‘The Valley of the Bees.’ His most celebrated partnership, however, was with the late director Milos Forman. The two met during their compulsory military service in communist Czechoslovakia and maintained a profound professional bond despite the geopolitical upheavals of their time. While Forman emigrated to the United States after the 1968 Soviet invasion, Pištěk remained in their homeland, yet they continued their cinematic collaboration across continents.
The pinnacle of Pištěk’s career came in 1985 when he won the Oscar for Best Costume Design for ‘Amadeus,’ a film shot in Czechoslovakia that went on to win multiple Academy Awards. Upon accepting the honor, he declared it ‘the biggest and happiest day of my film career.’ His talent was further recognized with an Academy Award nomination for Forman’s 1989 film ‘Valmont,’ for which he also received the French Cesar award. Their creative partnership extended to the 1996 film ‘The People vs. Larry Flynt.’
Born into an artistic family in Prague on October 25, 1932, with both parents being actors, Pištěk graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in 1958. Beyond his film work, he had a notable passion for motor racing, competing as a driver until the mid-1970s. This fascination with automobiles later became a central theme in his paintings, which were exhibited internationally, including in the United States.
Following the 1989 Velvet Revolution that dismantled Czechoslovakia’s communist regime, Pištěk contributed to the nation’s new identity by designing the official uniforms for the guards at Prague Castle, the presidential seat. In recognition of his immense cultural contributions, the late President Václav Havel awarded him a state decoration in 2000.