Vladimir Becić facts for kids

Vladimir Becić (1886–1954) was an important Croatian painter. He is famous for his early paintings made in Munich. These works greatly influenced modern art in Croatia.

Becić studied painting in Munich at the famous Academy of Arts. He studied with other Croatian artists like Oskar Herman, Miroslav Kraljević, and Josip Račić. This group was called the Munich Circle or Munich Four. They were very important for Croatian art in the 20th century. After Munich, Becić spent two years studying in Paris. He then returned to Zagreb in 1910.

During the First World War, Vladimir Becić worked as a war artist. He was on the Salonika front and drew many pictures of soldiers and wounded people. After the war, he lived in a village near Sarajevo. There, he painted landscapes and country scenes. He used colors and shades to show shapes and space in his art.

Becić also taught at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb from 1924 to 1947. He became a member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in 1934.

About Vladimir Becić's Life

Vladimir Becić was born in Slavonski Brod on June 1, 1886.

He first studied law in Zagreb. But he also took private art classes. His teachers were Menci Clement Crnčić and Bela Čikoš Sesija. In 1905, he stopped studying law to focus on art. He moved to Munich and studied with Heinrich Knirr. Later, he joined the Academy of Arts. In 1909, he went to Paris. He studied at the Academy La Grande Chaumiére. He also worked as a cartoonist for a magazine called Le Rire. He came back to Zagreb in 1910 and had his first art show there.

In 1911, he showed his art at the International Exhibition of Art. His works were part of the Kingdom of Serbia's display.

Becić then worked in Osijek, Belgrade, and Bitolj. He joined the Serbian army just before World War I began. He worked as a war artist for the magazine "L'Illustration" on the Salonika front. He drew many pictures of soldiers and those who were hurt. In 1919, he had his second art show in Zagreb.

From 1919 to 1923, Vladimir Becić lived near Sarajevo in a village called Blažuj. He painted many oil and watercolor pictures of landscapes, farmers, and shepherds. His style became more developed, using colors to create shapes and depth. After this, he moved back to Zagreb. He taught at the Academy of Fine Arts from 1924 to 1947.

In 1930, Vladimir Becić, Ljubo Babić, and Jerolim Miše formed a group called "Group Three".

Becić became a member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in 1934. At that time, it was called the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Art.

Vladimir Becić passed away in Zagreb on May 24, 1954.

Becić's Art Style and Influence

Modern art in Croatia largely started with the Munich Circle painters. Many of their important works are in the Museum of Contemporary Art. This includes Vladimir Becić's oil paintings from 1910–1922. This was a very important time in his art career.

Vladimir Becić's earliest works came from his time in the Munich school. Along with Josip Račić and Miroslav Kraljević's art, his paintings showed a new direction for modern Croatian painting. They moved away from old academic styles. They were greatly influenced by Leibl's realism. They also saw works by Impressionist artists like Manet at an exhibit in 1907. Other artists who influenced him were Velázquez and Goya.

Later, Becić's art became more like Cézanne's style. He focused on structure and geometric shapes. His goal was to make his art clear and well-formed. His oil sketches and watercolors show a fresh, immediate feeling. He used rich colors and shading to create strong, rounded shapes.

We can learn about Vladimir Becić from his self-portraits. He painted them from when he was young until just before he died. These portraits are special because they show his time in Munich, Paris, and Osijek. His early paintings show how well he could observe shapes, subjects, and bodies. He also showed their positions in space with great skill.

After World War I, many artists in Europe returned to nature in their art. Becić's later work also showed this trend. It also had influences from post-cubism, which focused on construction. For Becić, nature was not just a quiet place. It was a source of ideas and a great teacher of life, order, and organization.

According to Miroslav Krleža, Becić holds a very important place in Croatian modern art. He was different from Račić and Kraljević, not just one of three.

In 2006, the Croatian Post Office released stamps about Croatian art. One of them showed Becić's painting called Still Life from 1909.

Famous Works by Becić

• Guslar (Guslac) 1906
• Oak (Hrast) 1907
• Girl with Doll (Djevojčica s lutkom) 1908
• Portrait of Miroslav Kraljević (Portret Miroslava Kraljevića) 1908
• Self-portrait with Hat (Autoportret sa polucilindrom) 1908
• Still Life (Mrtva Priroda) 1909
• Watermelons (Lubenice) 1911
• Hill Landscape with Stream (Planinski pejzaž s potokom) 1923
• Vera 1926
• Peasant Woman (Saljanka) 1926
• Fisherman (Ribar) 1932
• Girl with Flower (Djevojka s cvijecem) 1933
• Small Meadows (Male sjenokoše) 1934
• Boy with Corn (Dječak s kukuruzom) 1935
• Crabs (Rakovi) 1936
• Ragotin 1937
• Tovarenje ugljena, 1938
• Samoborski pejsaž, 1941.

Art Shows

Solo Shows

• 1910 in Zagreb
• 1919 in Zagreb
• 1984 Vladimir Becic - Umjetnicki paviljon / Art Pavilion Zagreb, Zagreb
• 2005 Adris Gallery, Rovinj Vladimir Becić, Svjedok Istine Postojanja

Group Shows

• 1973 Paintings of the Munich Circle - Umjetnicki paviljon / Art Pavilion Zagreb, Zagreb

Where to See His Art

You can find Vladimir Becić's paintings in these public collections:

• Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Croatia
• Gallery of Fine Arts / Galerija likovnih umjetnosti, Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
• MMSU - Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
• Galerija Umjetnina Split, Split, Croatia
• MSU Muzej Suvremene Umjetnosti / Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia

See also

In Spanish: Vladimir Becić para niños