The life of a remarkable artist and pioneering inventor who lived and worked in Lancaster more than a century ago will be celebrated this year.
2026 marks the centenary of Karel Klic’s death.
Klic, originally from Bohemia which is now the Czech Republic, is little known in Lancaster even though he played a really significant part in the city’s industrial life in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.
Mirador, a Lancashire-based arts and heritage charity, will raise awareness of Klic’s remarkable life and work by running a year-long programme of exciting activities and interesting events involving people of all ages and abilities.
The project entitled 'Copy That - The Revolution in Photomechanical Printing' - will culminate with an exhibition at The Storey Gallery in Lancaster in November, exactly a century since Klic’s death.
Klic invented photogravure printing, a process for reproducing high quality images, which brought art to the masses after joining forces with the Lancaster-based company, Storey Brothers, renowned for producing oil cloth.
Together, they established the Rembrandt Intaglio Printing Company based in Queen’s Mill, now the site of Lancaster’s Aldi in Aldcliffe Road.
Using Klic’s photogravure method Rembrandt Intaglio printed fine art images so that most households could afford to have art on their walls at home. The invention also revolutionised the printing of pictures in the press, in books and on postcards.
During his time in Lancaster, Klic lived in Meadowside, now part of Lancaster Medical Practice where a plaque will be unveiled later this year to celebrate the inventive former resident.
Klic was a classically trained artist himself fascinated in capturing likenesses and among his many oil paintings of prominent Lancashire people is a portrait of Sir Thomas Storey which is displayed in Lancaster City Museum.
Mirador has been granted £91,430 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to mark the centenary
“Thanks to National Lottery players, Mirador will be able to deliver multiple, fun and lively creative opportunities for people of all ages that will reflect the ground-breaking work in Lancaster that Klic achieved with the copying process," said George Harris, Mirador co-founder and creative producer.
"Klic and the Storey Brothers revolutionised the idea of art for everyone and our programme will live up to that ambition.”
Appeal launched to help save Morecambe sports and social club
Reopening date announced after Morecambe Jobcentre closes for repairs
Lancaster charity urges residents to know how they’re affected by Renters' Rights Act
Lancaster district residents urged to check their details as annual electoral canvass begins
E-bikes and e-scooters seized during police crackdown on Lancaster cycle track
Four vehicles involved in road collision in Carnforth
LISTEN: Popular vlog tells story of couple's second-hand bookshop dream in Morecambe
Emergency team in Silverdale receives donation of life-saving kits
MP offers support to staff after Morecambe FC reported to The Pensions Regulator
Track night at Lancaster sports club to launch police safety scheme for women and girls
PHOTOS: Live music day to raise funds for homeless people in Lancaster hailed as huge success
Former bank turned live music venue in Morecambe to reopen under new management
New parking system set to launch at Royal Lancaster Infirmary
Museum in Lancaster up for award launched by TV historian David Olusoga
MP fights for refunds after Heysham medical centre patients get parking fines in error
Two teenagers arrested after car stolen during Hest Bank burglary
Parents demand further action after health watchdog probe into asbestos complaints at Lancaster school
LISTEN: Lancaster medical students praised for helping man who collapsed
Man arrested on Morecambe beach after report of assault
Police probe burglaries in villages near Carnforth
