Miroslav Kraljević facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Miroslav Kraljević
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Self-portrait with Dog by Miroslav Kraljević (1910), Oil on canvas. 110×85.5 cm, Modern Gallery, Zagreb
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| Born | 14 December 1885 Gospić, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, Austria-Hungary
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| Died | 16 April 1913 (aged 27) Zagreb, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, Austria-Hungary
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| Nationality | Croatian |
| Education | Vienna, Munich, under Hugo von Habermann |
| Known for | Painting, sculpture |
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Notable work
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Paintings (oils and watercolours), drawings, prints, sculpture |
| Movement | Modern |
Miroslav Kraljević (born December 14, 1885 – died April 16, 1913) was a talented Croatian painter, printmaker, and sculptor. He was active in the early 1900s and is known as one of the people who started modern art in Croatia.
Kraljević studied painting in Vienna and Munich at the famous Academy of Arts. He studied there with other Croatian artists like Oskar Herman, Vladimir Becić, and Josip Račić. These artists were later called the Munich Circle. They had a big impact on modern art in Croatia. After Munich, Kraljević spent time at his family home in Požega. Then he moved to Paris, where he created some of his best art. Sadly, he died in Zagreb in April 1913, when he was only 27 years old, from tuberculosis.
Miroslav Kraljević used many different art styles in his work. These included Impressionism, Pointillism, and Expressionism. He used almost every painting and drawing method in his art. He painted portraits, people, still lifes (pictures of objects), animals, and landscapes. He also made prints using etching and woodcut. His sculptures were made from clay, plaster, and bronze.
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Biography
Miroslav Kraljević was born on December 14, 1885, in Gospić, a town in Lika. He spent most of his childhood in Zagreb from 1888 to 1902. He finished high school in Gospić in 1904. Miroslav loved poetry and music, and he was often seen drawing. In 1904, he went to Vienna. There, he studied law but also took private painting lessons. After two years, he decided to focus only on painting.
In the fall of 1906, Kraljević moved to Munich. He spent two terms at a private art school there. This school was known for teaching great printmakers. After seven months, he joined the important Academy of Fine Arts. He became a student of Hugo von Habermann. From 1907 to 1910, he studied with other Croatian painters. These included Josip Račić, Oskar Herman, and Vladimir Becić. At that time, Munich was a very important place for art in Europe. Many art styles were popular there, such as Realism and Symbolism.
After finishing his studies in Munich, Kraljević went back to his family. They had moved to Požega. He stayed there for most of 1910 and 1911. During this time, he painted Self-portrait with Dog. He also created many other famous portraits, landscapes, and country scenes. He started sculpting again, making art from clay, plaster, and bronze.
In 1911, Kraljević received money from the government to study in Paris. He officially joined the Academy La Grande Chaumiére. But he mostly painted a lot in his friends' studios. In Paris, Kraljević's amazing talent really showed. Even though he was getting sicker from tuberculosis, he made some of his best art. He drew and painted many scenes of life in Paris. After a year, he left Paris and returned home to Požega.
In the fall of 1912, Kraljević went to Zagreb. There, he had his first art show, which showed his past works. He rented a studio and kept painting until December 1913. Then he went to a special hospital for treatment. After two months, he left the hospital and returned to Zagreb. He died two days later, on April 16, 1913, from tuberculosis. He was only 27 years old. He is buried in his family's grave in Požega.
Legacy
The "Munich Circle" is a very important group in Croatian art. It marks the start of Croatian Modernism. This name was given in the 1950s to four artists. They all studied at the Munich Academy of Art in the early 1900s. Miroslav Kraljević, along with Joseph Račić, Vladimir Becić, and Oscar Herman, started modern art in Croatia. They changed art from older, more traditional styles. Their art was about expressing themselves freely, without needing stories or lessons. This connected them to French Impressionism, especially artists like Manet and Cézanne.
Miroslav Kraljević is one of the people who founded Croatian modern painting. He was a very flexible artist from the start. His art can be hard to put into one group because he tried many different styles and methods. Kraljević's prints show strong dark and light areas. They perfectly match his sensitive personality, which could show great joy but also deep sadness.
Kraljević made his most important paintings while he was in Požega. These include Cows at Pasture, Bull, and In the Stables. His paintings used wide brush strokes and strong color differences. They show the artist in his natural setting, the countryside, rather than fancy indoor scenes. Also in Požega, he painted one of his most famous self-portraits: Self-portrait with Dog. He also created other important Croatian artworks there. These include Portrait of Aunt Luike, Girl with Dolls, and portraits of his mother and father. He also painted poetic landscapes with an Impressionistic feel. His work has parts of both Impressionism (like in Park Luxembourg) and Expressionism (like in Women in the Park). His pipe pictures, made in Paris, show methods similar to the artist Cézanne.
The Gallery Miroslav Kraljević is a modern art gallery in Zagreb. It is named after Miroslav Kraljević. This gallery helps new Croatian artists and connects them to artists from other countries. It is named after him because his new ideas had a big impact on Croatian art in the early 1900s.
Works
- Autoportret sa psom (Self-portrait with Dog) 1910. oil on canvas
- Krave na paši (Cows at Pasture) 1910-11. oil on canvas
- Bik (Bull) 1910-11. oil on canvas
- U staji (In the Stables) 1910-11. oil on canvas
- Autoportret s lulom (Self-portrait with a pipe) 1911-12. oil on canvas
- Mali autoportret s paletom (Small self-portrait with a palette) 1911-12. oil on canvas
- Bonvivant 1912. oil on canvas
- Girl with a doll
- Park Luxembourg
- Women in the Park
- Great Park
- Works online
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
- 1912 Gallery Ulrich, Zagreb - Miroslav Kraljević Solo Exhibit
- 1999 Gallery of Fine Arts, Osijek - Miroslav Kraljević Solo Show: prints and graphics from the Museum of Arts and Crafts, Zagreb
- 2004 Adris Gallery, Rovinj - Miroslav Kraljević Exhibit
- 2013–2014 Modern Gallery, Zagreb - The biggest show of Kraljević's work so far, with almost 200 pieces.
Group Exhibitions
- 1914 International Printmaking Exhibition in Zagreb. Many artists took part, showing 870 works. Miroslav Kraljević was one of 14 Croatian artists.
- 1942 Venice Bienniale - Miroslav Kraljević's art was shown in the Croatian exhibit that year.
- 1973 Art Pavilion Zagreb - Paintings of the Munich Circle
- 2007 Museum of Modern Art, Dubrovnik - From the Permanent Collection
Public Collections
Art museums in Croatia that have works by Miroslav Kraljević:
- Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik
- MMSU - Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Rijeka, Rijeka
- Galerija Umjetnina Split, Split
- MSU Muzej Suvremene Umjetnosti / Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb
A public collection in Macedonia that has work by Miroslav Kraljević:
- Nacionalna Galerija - Chifte Amam - Skopje, Skopje
Gallery
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Madonna
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Golgotha
