Tomislav Krizman facts for kids

Tomislav Krizman (1882–1955) was a talented Croatian artist. He was a painter, graphic artist, and even designed costumes and sets for plays. Krizman was also a teacher, writer, and helped organize many cultural events. While he painted with oils and tempera, he is best known for his amazing graphic art.

He helped start important art groups like the Medulić Society and the Zagreb Spring Salon in 1916. His art was shown in many cities, including Zagreb, Belgrade, Ljubljana, Vienna, Paris, and Rome.

Early Life and Education

Tomislav Krizman was born on July 21, 1882. His birthplace was Orlovac, which is now part of Karlovac, Croatia. He first studied at the Commerce Academy.

While there, he also took art classes. He learned painting and drawing from famous artists like Bela Čikoš Sesija, Robert Auer, and Menci Clement Crnčić.

Studying Art in Vienna

From 1903 to 1907, Krizman moved to Vienna, Austria. He attended the School of Crafts. Then he went to the Academy of Fine Arts. There, he studied with a teacher named William Unger.

Krizman stayed in Vienna for ten years. This time was very important for his art. He spent time with other artists who were part of the avant-garde Secession movement. He used their new ideas in his own artwork. He also showed his art in group exhibitions like Hagenbund and Secesija.

In 1911, Krizman's artworks were shown at the International Exhibition of Art. They were part of the Kingdom of Serbia's display.

Teaching and Later Life

In 1912, Krizman moved back to Zagreb, Croatia. He started working as a teacher. He taught at the Arts and Crafts School.

Later, in 1922, he began teaching at the Graphics Department. This was at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. He shared his knowledge with many young artists.

Tomislav Krizman passed away in Zagreb on October 24, 1955.

Artistic Legacy

Krizman is mostly remembered for his amazing graphic art. He loved to travel and draw what he saw. His drawings include views of Vienna, Hrvatsko Zagorje, and Dalmatia.

He also created unique drawings of Bosnia, Hercegovina, Kosovo, and Macedonia. These drawings are very lively and fresh. He also made memorable portraits of people.

Books and Designs

Krizman was very knowledgeable about graphic techniques. He shared this knowledge in his book, "On Graphical Arts" (O grafičkim vještinama), published in 1952.

He also wrote many articles for books and magazines. Besides that, he worked as a designer for plays and operas. He created costumes and sets for the stage.

Poster Art

Posters became popular with the rise of the Secession or Art Nouveau art styles. These styles arrived in Zagreb around 1898. Posters were a new and popular way to show images.

Tomislav Krizman created many memorable posters. These posters were for different events. They advertised culture, sports, entertainment, and even politics. One of his first famous posters was for the cabaret singer Marya Delvard. She was very popular in Vienna and Munich before coming to Zagreb in 1907. Krizman's poster perfectly showed the strong, stylish Art Nouveau woman.

Notable Works

• Portrait of Marya Delvard
• Portrait of a Girl (Portret djevojčice)
• Self-portrait (Autoportret)
• Portrait of Ivan Meštrović
• Brother Hinko (Brat Hinko)
• A Street in Ohrid (Ulica u Ohridu), 1930
• Travel drawings and etchings

Exhibitions

Solo Shows

• 1995 Tomislav Krizman Retrospective Exhibition - Art Pavilion, Zagreb

Group Shows

During his life, Krizman showed his art with the Medulić Society and the Spring Salon. He exhibited his works in many cities. These included Zagreb, Belgrade, Ljubljana, Vienna, Paris, and Rome.

Public Collections

You can find Tomislav Krizman's artwork in these public collections:

• Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb (Muzej Suvremene Umjetnosti)
• National and University Library in Zagreb
• Croatian History Museum, Zagreb
• National Museum (Narodni Muzej), Zadar