Jerolim Miše
Encyclopedia
Jerolim Miše was a Croatian painter, teacher, and art critic. He painted portraits, still lifes and landscapes of his native Dalmatia
. A member of the Group of Three, Group of Four, and the Independent Group of Artists.
In addition to being an exhibiting artist, Jerolim Miše taught and encouraged other artists for over 60 years, wrote articles and critiqued visual arts. As both a painter and a critic, he made an enormous contribution to modern art in Croatia.
. The move to Rome came after an incident where he published criticism of his teacher Menci Clement Crnčić
in the paper Zvono.
During his time in Italy (1891–1914), he wrote critiques and reviews of the Italian contemporary arts scene for newspapers and journals back home. He continued to write and publish stimulating articles about the visual arts scene right though his life built up a reputation as an articulate and well informed critic.
On the eve of the First World War, Miše returned to Split. During the war he was conscripted, and afterwards spent a number of years (1917–1937) teaching in schools in Krapina
, Slavonski Brod
and Zagreb
.
His first solo exhibition was held in 1914 in Split, and from 1917 he participated in the exhibitions of the Spring Salon in Zagreb. During the period 1921-1927 he exhibited with the Independent Group of Artists (Grupa nezavisnih umjetnika) whose other members were Ljubo Babić
, Vladimir Becić
, Jozo Kljaković, Frano Kršinić
, Ivan Meštrović
, Marin Studin, Zlatko Šulentić
and Vladimir Varlaj. In 1928, he was part of the Group of Four (Grupa četvorice) with (Ljubo Babić, Vladimir Becić and Maksimilijan Vanka
) and from 1929 the Group of Three (Grupa Trojice) which consisted of himself, Ljubo Babić
and Vladimir Becić
. He exhibited abroad in group exhibits in Paris (1919) and London (1930).
In 1922 he undertook a study tour of Munich, Berlin and Dresden, where he got to know the work of the old masters, and Cézanne. He visited Paris in 1925 and 1929, events that were crucial in forming his mature artistic style. He painted many portraits, self-portraits and still lifes. He immortalized the landscape of Brač, Šolta, Krk, Korčula and the Dubrovnik region.
In 1937, he went to teach at the Academy of Art in Belgrade
, until 1943 when he moved to the Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb where he worked until his retirement in 1961.
Jerolim Miše died on 14 September 1970 in Split.
as opposed to Italian futurism
and post-cubist trends. There, he also spent time with fellow Split native Ivan Meštrović
. However, Miše’s painting from that period do not show the influence of art nouveau
secessionist linearism nor heroic mythology. His motifs are simple, the content minimalist.
Miše's early work consisted mainly of portraits, but he later developed into a landscape painter, and finally began to paint everything he saw: views, landscapes, portraits, still lifes, animals. His later landscapes of his native Dalmatia capture an experience of the colour and atmosphere. Miše went to Paris for the first time in 1925, and according to the painter himself, that is when his “reorientation” started. For his retrospective exhibition in 1955 at the Modern Gallery, Zagreb
, he wrote: "I started with the Secession
and I was already thirty-two when I came into contact with van Gogh, Renoir
and Cézanne".
In 1928, for the first time he spent a long period in Supetar
on the island of Brač
where he painted a series of views of the town with its empty streets in the summer heat and a number of landscapes and seascapes that are expressive colourist works reminiscent of Cézanne’s and Renoir’s painting styles. In his work can be identified contacts with contemporary German and French art styles. The art historian and curator, Igor Zidić
summarized the conflicting styles in Miše's work "...the struggle between the hard, clear volumes of secessionist art, and the vibrating surfaces of impressionism... he is wrestling between the (German) fascination with the subject and the (French) obsession with light."
, Zagreb and Belgrade. Selected recent solo exhibitions include
Croatia
Macedonia (F.Y.R.M.)
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
. A member of the Group of Three, Group of Four, and the Independent Group of Artists.
In addition to being an exhibiting artist, Jerolim Miše taught and encouraged other artists for over 60 years, wrote articles and critiqued visual arts. As both a painter and a critic, he made an enormous contribution to modern art in Croatia.
Biography
Jerolim Miše was born on 25 September 1890 in Split. He began to study painting at the craft school in Split, then attended the Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb, but moved to Rome, and finally Florence where he completed his formal training at the Accademia InternazionaleAccademia di Belle Arti Firenze
The Accademia di Belle Arti is an art academy in Florence, Italy and it is now the operative branch of the still existing Accademia delle Arti del Disegno that was the first academy of drawing in Europe.-History:The Accademia delle Arti del Disegno The Accademia di Belle Arti ("Academy of Fine...
. The move to Rome came after an incident where he published criticism of his teacher Menci Clement Crnčić
Menci Clement Crnčić
Menci Clement Crnčić was a Croatian painter, printmaker, teacher and museum director. He studied painting and drawing in Vienna and Munich, and trained in graphic arts in Vienna, studying etching and engraving...
in the paper Zvono.
During his time in Italy (1891–1914), he wrote critiques and reviews of the Italian contemporary arts scene for newspapers and journals back home. He continued to write and publish stimulating articles about the visual arts scene right though his life built up a reputation as an articulate and well informed critic.
On the eve of the First World War, Miše returned to Split. During the war he was conscripted, and afterwards spent a number of years (1917–1937) teaching in schools in Krapina
Krapina
Krapina is a town in northern Croatia and the administrative centre of Krapina-Zagorje County with a population of 4,482 and a total municipality population of 12,479...
, Slavonski Brod
Slavonski Brod
Slavonski Brod is a city in Croatia, with a population of 59,507 in 2011. The city was known as Marsonia in the Roman Empire, and as Brod na Savi 1244–1934. It is the sixth largest city in Croatia, after Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek and Zadar. Located in the region of Slavonia, it is the...
and Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
.
His first solo exhibition was held in 1914 in Split, and from 1917 he participated in the exhibitions of the Spring Salon in Zagreb. During the period 1921-1927 he exhibited with the Independent Group of Artists (Grupa nezavisnih umjetnika) whose other members were Ljubo Babić
Ljubo Babić
Ljubo Babić , was a Croatian painter, graphic artist, theatrical set and costume designer, teacher, art historian, critic, and museum curator. As an artist, he worked in a variety of media including oils, tempera, watercolour, drawing, etching, and lithography...
, Vladimir Becić
Vladimir Becić
Vladimir Becić was a Croatian painter, best known for his early work in Munich, which had a strong influence on the direction of modern art in Croatia...
, Jozo Kljaković, Frano Kršinić
Frano Kršinić
Frano Kršinić was a renowned Croatian sculptor. Along with Ivan Meštrović and Antun Augustinčić he is considered one of the three most important Croatian sculptors of the 20th century...
, Ivan Meštrović
Ivan Meštrovic
Ivan Meštrović was a Croatian and Yugoslav sculptor and architect born in Vrpolje, Croatia...
, Marin Studin, Zlatko Šulentić
Zlatko Šulentić
Zlatko Šulentić was a Croatian painter of landscapes and portraits.He was one of the second generation of Croatian modern painters, a follower of the Munich Circle painters. He also studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, and began to develop his own version of expressionism and cubism in...
and Vladimir Varlaj. In 1928, he was part of the Group of Four (Grupa četvorice) with (Ljubo Babić, Vladimir Becić and Maksimilijan Vanka
Maksimilijan Vanka
Maksimilijan Vanka , also known as Maxo Vanka, was a Croatian-American artist.Maxo Vanka was born in Croatia in 1889. It is believed that he may have been the illegitimate child of Habsburg nobility. He was sent to live with peasants, but at the age of eight was discovered by his maternal...
) and from 1929 the Group of Three (Grupa Trojice) which consisted of himself, Ljubo Babić
Ljubo Babić
Ljubo Babić , was a Croatian painter, graphic artist, theatrical set and costume designer, teacher, art historian, critic, and museum curator. As an artist, he worked in a variety of media including oils, tempera, watercolour, drawing, etching, and lithography...
and Vladimir Becić
Vladimir Becić
Vladimir Becić was a Croatian painter, best known for his early work in Munich, which had a strong influence on the direction of modern art in Croatia...
. He exhibited abroad in group exhibits in Paris (1919) and London (1930).
In 1922 he undertook a study tour of Munich, Berlin and Dresden, where he got to know the work of the old masters, and Cézanne. He visited Paris in 1925 and 1929, events that were crucial in forming his mature artistic style. He painted many portraits, self-portraits and still lifes. He immortalized the landscape of Brač, Šolta, Krk, Korčula and the Dubrovnik region.
In 1937, he went to teach at the Academy of Art in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, until 1943 when he moved to the Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb where he worked until his retirement in 1961.
Jerolim Miše died on 14 September 1970 in Split.
Legacy
While studying in Rome and Florence, Miše was more interested in art theory than practice, spending time with the Rome avant-garde circle, questioning issues such as Viennese secessionSecession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
as opposed to Italian futurism
Futurism
Futurism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century.Futurism or futurist may refer to:* Afrofuturism, an African-American and African diaspora subculture* Cubo-Futurism* Ego-Futurism...
and post-cubist trends. There, he also spent time with fellow Split native Ivan Meštrović
Ivan Meštrovic
Ivan Meštrović was a Croatian and Yugoslav sculptor and architect born in Vrpolje, Croatia...
. However, Miše’s painting from that period do not show the influence of art nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
secessionist linearism nor heroic mythology. His motifs are simple, the content minimalist.
Miše's early work consisted mainly of portraits, but he later developed into a landscape painter, and finally began to paint everything he saw: views, landscapes, portraits, still lifes, animals. His later landscapes of his native Dalmatia capture an experience of the colour and atmosphere. Miše went to Paris for the first time in 1925, and according to the painter himself, that is when his “reorientation” started. For his retrospective exhibition in 1955 at the Modern Gallery, Zagreb
Modern Gallery, Zagreb
Modern Gallery is a museum in Zagreb, Croatia that holds the most important and comprehensive collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings by 19th and 20th century Croatian artists. The collection numbers around 10,000 works of art, housed since 1934 in the historic Vranyczany Palace in the...
, he wrote: "I started with the Secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
and I was already thirty-two when I came into contact with van Gogh, Renoir
Renoir
-People with the surname Renoir :* Pierre-Auguste Renoir , French painter* Pierre Renoir , French actor and son of Pierre-Auguste Renoir* Jean Renoir , French film director and son of Pierre-Auguste Renoir...
and Cézanne".
In 1928, for the first time he spent a long period in Supetar
Supetar
Supetar is a town on the northern side of the Dalmatian island of Brač,in the Splitsko-Dalmatiska County, in Croatia. It became the island's official centre in 1827...
on the island of Brač
Brac
Brač is an island in the Adriatic Sea within Croatia, with an area of 396 km², making it the largest island in Dalmatia, and the third largest in the Adriatic. Its tallest peak, Vidova Gora, or Mount St. Vid, stands at 778 m, making it the highest island point in the Adriatic...
where he painted a series of views of the town with its empty streets in the summer heat and a number of landscapes and seascapes that are expressive colourist works reminiscent of Cézanne’s and Renoir’s painting styles. In his work can be identified contacts with contemporary German and French art styles. The art historian and curator, Igor Zidić
Igor Zidić
Igor Zidić is a Croatian art historian, art critic, poet and essayist. He is considered one of the foremost authorities on visual arts in Croatia and a top expert on Croatian modern art....
summarized the conflicting styles in Miše's work "...the struggle between the hard, clear volumes of secessionist art, and the vibrating surfaces of impressionism... he is wrestling between the (German) fascination with the subject and the (French) obsession with light."
Works
- Self-portrait (Autoportret), 1916
- Portrait of a Bride (Portret zaručnice)
- Girl with Melon (Djevojku s dinjom)
- Portrait of Ivo Tartaglia (Portret Ive Tartaglie), 1919
- Seascape, Supetar (Primorsku vedutu, Supetar)
- Noon in Supetar, (Podne u Supetaru) 1928
- Portrait of the Painter Rački (Portret slikara Račkog), 1929
- Red House (Crvene kuće), 1930
- Noon in Koločep (Podne u Koločepu), 1931
- Young Girl (Djevojčica), 1932
- Grouper (Škarpina), 1934
- May Morning on Lopud (Majsko jutro na Lopudu)
- Still life with brushes (Mrtva priroda s kistovima), 1961
Solo shows
During his lifetime, Miše held solo exhibits in Split, Slavonski Brod, Rijeka, ZadarZadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
, Zagreb and Belgrade. Selected recent solo exhibitions include
- 2008 Jerolim Miše - Gallery Adris, Rovinj
- 1990 Jerolim Miše - Art Pavilion, Zagreb
- 1970 Jerolim Miše Retrospective - Gallery of Fine Arts, SplitGallery of Fine Arts, SplitThe Gallery of Fine Arts , is an art museum in Split, Croatia containing works from 14th century up to the present day providing an overview of the artistic developments in the local art scene...
Group shows
Selected recent group exhibitions include- 2006 Croatian Collection - Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
Public collections
Jerolim Miše's work can be found in the following public collectionsCroatia
- Gallery of Fine Arts, SplitGallery of Fine Arts, SplitThe Gallery of Fine Arts , is an art museum in Split, Croatia containing works from 14th century up to the present day providing an overview of the artistic developments in the local art scene...
(Galerija Umjetnina) Split - Museum of Contemporary Art, ZagrebMuseum of Contemporary Art, ZagrebThe Museum of Contemporary Art is a contemporary art museum located on Dubrovnik Avenue in Zagreb, Croatia. It is the biggest and most modern museum in the country....
(Muzej Suvremene Umjetnosti) - Modern Gallery, ZagrebModern Gallery, ZagrebModern Gallery is a museum in Zagreb, Croatia that holds the most important and comprehensive collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings by 19th and 20th century Croatian artists. The collection numbers around 10,000 works of art, housed since 1934 in the historic Vranyczany Palace in the...
(Galerija Moderna)
Macedonia (F.Y.R.M.)
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje