František Kupka, also known as François Kupka (Opočno, Sept. 23, 1871 - Puteaux, June 24, 1957), was a Czech abstract painter. Kupka was born the eldest in a large family in the Czech town of Opočno, in eastern Bohemia. His father was a secretary at Dobruška town hall and his first patron was Mayor Archleb, who led him to technical school and later to the academy in Prague. There, between 1878 and 1891, he learned about European painting at the time. As a student, he entered the Academy in Vienna. His first known symbolist portraits date from this time.