Jacques Hnizdovsky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jacques Hnizdovsky
Jacques Hnizdovsky carving the woodblock "Two Rams" in his studio in New York, 1969
Born	Jakiw Hnizdowskyj January 27, 1915 (1915-01-27) Pylypche, Austria-Hungary (now Ukraine)
Died	November 8, 1985 (1985-11-09) (aged 70) New York, United States
Nationality	American
Education	Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb
Known for	painting, printmaking, watercolor, ceramics, graphic design, bookplate design, book illustration, book cover design, lettering design
Notable work	www.hnizdovsky.com www.jacqueshnizdovsky.com
Movement	stylized realism

Jacques Hnizdovsky (born Yakiv Yakovych Hnizdovskyi; 1915–1985) was a talented artist. He was born in Ukraine and later became an American citizen. Jacques was known for his paintings, printmaking, graphic design, and illustrations. He also created sculptures.

About Jacques Hnizdovsky

Young Hnizdovsky in the 1930s

Hnizdovsky with his painting "Displaced Persons", 1948, now in the Ukrainian Museum, New York

Hnizdovsky painting at the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire in the early 60s

Hnizdovsky (right) with Lubomyr Hutsaliuk (left) and Edward Kozak in Soyuzivka

Jacques Hnizdovsky was born on January 27, 1915, in a village called Pylypche in Ukraine. His family was from a respected background, and his father was a priest. Jacques was the youngest of seven children. He was the only one in his family who moved to the West.

He started studying art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland. But when Germany attacked Poland, he had to leave. He continued his art studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. He learned traditional art skills there, like how to draw portraits. However, he taught himself how to make prints.

After moving to the United States in 1949, Hnizdovsky created many artworks. He made hundreds of paintings, drawings, and watercolors. He also made over 377 woodcuts, etchings, and linocuts. These are types of prints made by carving into wood or metal. He was inspired by Japanese woodblock printing and the works of a famous artist named Albrecht Dürer.

Hnizdovsky printed all his woodcuts and linocuts himself. He used a special Japanese paper called washi.

Animals as Art Subjects

Hnizdovsky's prints often show plants and animals. He started focusing on nature for a few reasons. When he first came to the U.S., he faced challenges like money problems and learning a new language. He also felt a bit stuck creatively.

At first, he used animals as substitutes for people in his art. But soon, they became his favorite subjects. He spent a lot of time at botanical gardens and zoos in New York. There, he found many models who would "pose" for him for free!

One of his favorite models was Andy, an orangutan at the Bronx Zoo. Andy was a baby when the zoo's Ape House first opened. When Andy passed away, the Bronx Zoo bought a woodcut print by Hnizdovsky to remember him. Another favorite model was a sheep. Hnizdovsky's print called The Sheep became his most famous work. It was even used on a poster for a very successful art show in London. You can even spot this poster in the movie The Hours!

Exhibitions and Recognition

Hnizdovsky's art has been shown in many places around the world. His works are part of the permanent collections in many museums. For example, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has a large collection of his prints. The University of Mount Olive in North Carolina is believed to have the biggest collection of his prints anywhere.

He also designed many book covers and illustrated several books. He even designed postage stamps for the Ukrainian Plast postal service.

Jacques Hnizdovsky passed away on November 8, 1985, in New York. He is buried in Ukraine. His old papers and artworks are kept at the New York Public Library. In November 2022, a street in Kyiv, Ukraine, was renamed Jacques Hnizdovsky Street to honor his contributions.

He received many awards for his art throughout his career. He also had many art shows where his work was displayed by himself, and he participated in many group exhibitions with other artists.