In 1929 František Janoušek went through a significant artistic transformation. After a period when he was influenced by lyrical and imaginative Cubism and poetism, he turned towards Surrealism, which came to fully dominate his work in subsequent years. A study trip to Paris between 1926 and 1929 emerged as a major influence. Still Life with Mushrooms and Deer’s Head captures this transitional moment, in which it is apparent that Janoušek was seeking a new expression and experimenting with organic shapes inserted in a space structured in Cubist style. With its colour arrangement favouring pastel green and pink tones, the still life represents a very rare example that – viewed in retrospect – slowly foreshadows the future morphology of Surrealism and it is obvious that Janoušek was one of the first in the Czech art scene to react to this new movement. Even though the listed work is dominated at first glance by the depiction of the deer’s head, the entire composition is composed of overlapping geometrical surfaces, which create a multilayered and initially incomprehensible organic space. In it, we can recognise fragments of other objects, including a bottle with writing on the right side or two mushrooms in the upper left corner. In relation to the colour palette, we can thus understand the individual motifs as symbols of the contradictory relationships between life and death, nature and civilisation and flowering versus decadence. The work was reproduced in a monograph by Jindřich Chalupecký (František Janoušek, Prague 1991, p. 47), in Umělecký měsíčník (Art Monthly, vol. 28, n. 1, 1930–1931, p. 16a) and in Volné směry (Free Directions, vol. 28, 1930–1931, p. 133). It was also presented at exhibitions (František Janoušek: Posthumous Exhibition of Painted Works at the Mánes Association of Fine Arts, Prague, December 1947, cat. no. 9; František Janoušek, 1890 – 1943: Painted Works, Central Bohemian Gallery, Nelahozeves Castle, 21 August – 31 October 1965, cat. no. 19; František Janoušek: Paintings and Drawings 1929 – 1942, House of Arts Brno, 21 May – 30 June 1985, cat. no. 10; Janoušek 1890– 1943: Paintings and Drawings, Mánes Association of Fine Arts, Prague, 19 November 1991 – 1 January 1992, cat. no. 15). The painting is number 74 in the artist’s inventory catalogue, comes from the artist’ family and will be included in an inventory of the artist’s work in Mgr. E. Vele’s forthcoming monograph. Assessed in consultation with Prof. J. Zemina and PhDr. J. Machalický. The expert opinion of Mrg. E. Vele is attached.