That’s a lovely thing you’re doing here with publishing art from our European countries, but I think a little bit of backstory would be great.
This particular artist, Ivan Generalić, is one of the most known Croatian painters in **naïve art** – usually defined as visual art that is created by a person who lacks the formal education and training that a professional artist undergoes.
That movement was in Croatia especially strong in one small village of Hlebine, which put out insane amounts of naive artists besides Ivan Generalić – Krsto Hegedušić (founder of the **Hlebine School of Art** in 1930), Mijo Kovačić, Josip Generalić, Ivan Lacković-Croata, Franjo Mraz, Dragan Gaži, Ivan Večenaj and Mirko Virius. This group of self-taught peasants began to develop a unique and somewhat revolutionary style of painting. This was instigated by leading intellectuals of the time such as the poet Antun Gustav Matoš and the biggest name in Croatian literature, Miroslav Krleža, who called for an individual national artistic style that would be independent from Western influences. Thus, they were in search of national “rural artistic expression”.
Not only that this village is significant for Croatian visual arts, it was, despite its size, also **one of the focal points of naïve art in the whole world**, with memorable exhibitions at the 1952 Venice Biennale, Brazil, Brussels and other places, and with Hlebine School of Art being taught today in Art academies around the world.
6 is lovely
The trees in #1 are fascinating!
For those interested, there is a gallery in Zagreb devoted exclusively to naïve art. Well worth a look if you ever visit the capital and are interested in this kind of art.
Besides rural motifs, there are also religious ones (obviously an important part of life in the region at the time).
Very much appreciate the opportunity to see wonderful works of artists I did not know of. Thanks for posting!
That first one is absolutely fantastic to look at.
the first one was used as an album cover by egor letov. check out his music, it’s becoming more and more relevant these days
These are beautiful
Estonia next please
FYI the first painting, Deer in the forest, has been used as a album cover art for Zvezdopad album by Grazhdanskaya Oborona.
This is lovely. Thank you for sharing
Good choice! Please continue with the format.
The last picture is like: ‘I know you put Vegeta in everything 😉’.
Maybe this is not obvious from the reproductions, but these paintings were done on glass, so the painter had to paint the elements of the composition in reverse order, background was painted last.
Nice! My grandpa and him were goos friends. Ivan gifted him one of his paintings and he still has it in his living room
17 comments
Happy New Year to everyone!
That’s a lovely thing you’re doing here with publishing art from our European countries, but I think a little bit of backstory would be great.
This particular artist, Ivan Generalić, is one of the most known Croatian painters in **naïve art** – usually defined as visual art that is created by a person who lacks the formal education and training that a professional artist undergoes.
That movement was in Croatia especially strong in one small village of Hlebine, which put out insane amounts of naive artists besides Ivan Generalić – Krsto Hegedušić (founder of the **Hlebine School of Art** in 1930), Mijo Kovačić, Josip Generalić, Ivan Lacković-Croata, Franjo Mraz, Dragan Gaži, Ivan Večenaj and Mirko Virius. This group of self-taught peasants began to develop a unique and somewhat revolutionary style of painting. This was instigated by leading intellectuals of the time such as the poet Antun Gustav Matoš and the biggest name in Croatian literature, Miroslav Krleža, who called for an individual national artistic style that would be independent from Western influences. Thus, they were in search of national “rural artistic expression”.
Not only that this village is significant for Croatian visual arts, it was, despite its size, also **one of the focal points of naïve art in the whole world**, with memorable exhibitions at the 1952 Venice Biennale, Brazil, Brussels and other places, and with Hlebine School of Art being taught today in Art academies around the world.
6 is lovely
The trees in #1 are fascinating!
For those interested, there is a gallery in Zagreb devoted exclusively to naïve art. Well worth a look if you ever visit the capital and are interested in this kind of art.
Besides rural motifs, there are also religious ones (obviously an important part of life in the region at the time).
Very much appreciate the opportunity to see wonderful works of artists I did not know of. Thanks for posting!
That first one is absolutely fantastic to look at.
the first one was used as an album cover by egor letov. check out his music, it’s becoming more and more relevant these days
These are beautiful
Estonia next please
FYI the first painting, Deer in the forest, has been used as a album cover art for Zvezdopad album by Grazhdanskaya Oborona.
This is lovely. Thank you for sharing
Good choice! Please continue with the format.
The last picture is like: ‘I know you put Vegeta in everything 😉’.
Maybe this is not obvious from the reproductions, but these paintings were done on glass, so the painter had to paint the elements of the composition in reverse order, background was painted last.
Nice! My grandpa and him were goos friends. Ivan gifted him one of his paintings and he still has it in his living room
very beautiful, love Hrvatska!