At the age of seventeen, František Dvořák began his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. He later moved to the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna where he studied under Christian Griepenkerl and Carl Wurzinger. In 1883, Dvořák left Vienna for the Munich Academy of Fine Arts, becoming a student of Otto Seitz and Wilhelm von Lindenschmit the Younger. While in Munich, he began to exhibit in Berlin and Vienna. In 1888, he left Munich for France with Karel Vítězslav Mašek and Alfons Mucha. Dvořák left France for Italy where he painted portraits for English and American visitors. His contact with Americans led to an eventual move to Philadelphia where he had his first major exhibition in 1890, followed by shows in New York, Chicago, and Detroit. In 1905, he returned to Prague, establishing a home and studio until his death in 1927.