Ivan Lacković Croata facts for kids
Ivan Lacković Croata (born January 1, 1932 – died August 29, 2004) was a famous Croatian naive painter. He was known for his unique style and beautiful artwork.
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Who Was Ivan Lacković Croata?
Ivan Lacković Croata was born in a small village called Batinske, near Kalinovac, on January 1, 1932. His family worked on a farm. After finishing primary school, he worked in fields and forests. He taught himself how to paint.
His first artworks were watercolors in 1944. These paintings showed scenes from village life. In 1952, he started drawing.
Early Career and Moving to Zagreb
In 1954, Ivan moved to Kloštar Podravski. He lived there for three years and painted his first oils. Later, he moved to Zagreb. There, he worked as a mailman and at the post office.
In 1962, he met a well-known artist named Krsto Hegedušić. Ivan sometimes worked in Hegedušić's art studio. His first solo art show was in 1964. This show helped him become known as a very skilled artist. In 1968, he left his job at the post office to become a full-time painter.
Ivan Lacković's Art Style
Ivan Lacković painted beautiful scenes from his home region called Podravina. He used tempera and oil on glass. Painting on glass is a traditional method used by naive artists from northern Croatia. He also focused more and more on drawing.
What Did He Paint?
His early paintings often showed detailed winter scenes. In the 1970s, his art started to include more ideas like allegory (stories with hidden meanings) and symbolism (using objects to represent ideas). His paintings often had a dreamlike and poetic feeling.
He mostly drew landscapes, pictures of people, flowers, and still life scenes. He rarely painted portraits. Ivan also illustrated many books of stories and poems.
Exhibitions and Public Life
Ivan Lacković had over one hundred solo art shows. These shows were held in Croatia and many other countries. His art was shown in cities like Paris, Rome, Tokyo, and Madrid.
His artworks are displayed in museums around the world. Some of these include the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art in Zagreb and the Museu de Arte Contemporânea in São Paulo. He also designed stage sets for theaters in Zagreb and Graz.
Involvement in Politics
Ivan Lacković was one of the people who helped start the Croatian Democratic Union, a political party. He was elected twice to be a member of the Croatian Parliament.
In the 1990s, he created a series of drawings. These drawings showed the suffering of people during the Croatian War of Independence. Ivan Lacković Croata passed away in Zagreb in 2004.
