The Life and Identity of Vaclav Govic Prague, 19 November 1821. This is where the life of Vaclav Govic begins. A Czech painter, he moves through the mid-19th century under several variations of his name. Records identify him as Václav Gowitsch, Václav Gowitz, or Václav Gowits. These shifts in spelling reflect a life lived within the linguistic complexities of the Bohemian region. His professional focus remains steady. He works as a p…