Jozef Božetech Klemens facts for kids
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Jozef Božetech Klemens (born March 8, 1817, in Liptovský Mikuláš and died January 17, 1883, in Vienna) was a very talented Slovak artist and scientist. He was a portrait painter, a sculptor, a photographer, and even an inventor! He also studied nature as a naturalist. He picked his middle name, Božetech, to honor an old painter and sculptor from the 11th century.
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His Life and Work
Jozef's father made saddles and carriages. Jozef first showed his artistic skills by painting cool pictures on his father's carriages. Later, he worked at a printing shop. The owner, Gašpar Fejérpataky-Belopotocký, was a Slovak leader who helped Jozef get an education.
In 1837, Jozef was accepted into the Academy of Fine Arts, Prague. He studied there from 1838 to 1843. He took art classes, but also learned about science and technology.
Early Career and Photography
After 1839, Klemens also taught at a girls' school. He tried out new teaching methods there. In 1842, he learned about Daguerrotypes, an early type of photography. Soon after, he opened his own small photography studio in the school's garden. It was called "Světloobrazárna," which means "The Light Gallery." This was only the second photography studio in Prague! But he had money problems, so he had to close it after a year.
In 1843, Klemens went back to Slovakia. He explored for coal in the Orava and Šariš areas. He also worked with "Tatrín," a Slovak cultural group. He painted many portraits of important Slovak leaders for them.
Further Studies and Teaching
From 1847 to 1848, he was back in Prague. He attended lectures on medicine and chemistry at the University of Prague and the Technical University. After the school where he taught was closed, Klemens tried to start his own industrial school. But there was a lot of trouble in the country at that time, so his plan didn't work out.
He finished his studies in 1849. He returned to his hometown and used his wife's money to start a workshop. He made zinc oxide using machines he designed himself. But again, he had money problems. So, he started painting altarpieces for churches instead.
He thought about moving to Russia, but then he got a job offer. He was asked to teach at the Belgrade Lyceum (now the University of Belgrade). However, he only stayed a short time because he felt the climate was not good for his family.
Later Teaching Career
Klemens returned to Prague and became a certified teacher. He could teach chemistry, physics, and German. In 1856, he won a competition to teach drawing at a school in Žilina. He stayed there until the school closed in 1863. Then, he became a professor of natural sciences and drawing at a Catholic high school in Banská Bystrica. He retired in 1878.
In his last years, Klemens had kidney stones. He went to Vienna for surgery, but sadly, he died after the operation.
His Inventions and Science Work
Jozef Klemens was also an inventor! In 1865, he designed a printing machine called the "Samotlač," which means "self-print." He sent the drawings to an exhibition in London, but the machine was never built.
In the late 1870s, he worked on a steam engine called the "Žiaroruchu." This machine was meant for construction work. He even thought about using the engine's exhaust to fill balloons. These balloons could then lift heavy machines! But he didn't have enough money to build a working model or get a patent for his ideas.
Klemens was a member of important cultural groups like Matice česká and Matica slovenská. He also studied earthquakes. In 1858, he helped figure out where a small earthquake happened in Žilina. Because of this work, he became a member of the "Imperial Geological Institute" in Vienna. He also had one of the biggest collections of minerals in Slovakia!
Images for kids
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Portrait of Andrej Sládkovič (1872)
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Portrait of Štefan Moyses (1870s)
