Stevan Aleksić
Encyclopedia
Stevan Aleksić (December 23, 1876 – November 2, 1923) was a Serbian
painter born in Austria-Hungary
. His work belongs to the Munich School
. He is especially known for his series of self-portraits, dating from 1895 to 1922, which at the same time illustrate the evolution of his style and technique as well as the changes in his physique and character, and is the largest such collection in Serbian painting
.
, present-day Romania
, to a family of artists. His father Dušan and grandfather Nikola were both painters. He finished his elementary school in Arad, where he received his first painting lessons from his father. In 1895 he moved to Munich
, where he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts
in the class of Nicholas Gysis. When his father died, in 1900, he decided to quit his studies and move to Modoš (today's village of Jaša Tomić, in Vojvodina, Northern Serbia). There he built a house with a studio and married the local teacher, Stefanija Lukić, in 1905. The rest of his life he spent living in Modoš and working as a painter. He died on November 2, 1923.
Since his early career Aleksić dealt in decorating churches; he was especially skilled at making monumental compositions with religious or historical context, and decorated a number of sacral objects around Vojvodina
. At the same time, in the first decade of the 20th century, he worked as a portraitist.
One of the Aleksić's most notable works is the "Merry People of Banat". He exhibited it at the 4th Yugoslav Art Exhibition in Belgrade in 1912, but received a lot of negative criticism, especially by the art critic Moša Pijade
, who wrote that "Some fellow from Modoš, named Aleksić, produced an incredibly bad painting of the people of Banat". After this fiasco Aleksić never again exhibited in Belgrade
, and remained a marginal figure on the Belgrade art scene over the next half century.
Even after the failure of the "Merry People of Banat" Aleksić continued to explore and vary the motive. In 1922, a year before he died, he made his last version of the painting putting himself on the canvas and thus becoming one of the participants in the festive atmosphere. Scenes from the pubs were a popular motive in his days. However, while some painters used this setting to express certain morality issues, it is believed that Aleksić had no such intentions.
Among his most notable works is a series of self-portraits produced between 1895 and 1922 It is the largest such series in Serbian painting, and can be used to track his artistic, mental as well as physical development. Aleksić often depicted himself sitting at a table in a pub, but in the years prior to his death the paintings become more macabre and ominous; he is often accompanied by the figure of Death
, sitting at his table, playing the violin
or looking at his plate.
The largest collection of Aleksić's paintings can be seen in the Matica Srpska
Gallery in Novi Sad, while the National Museum of Serbia and the National Museum in Zrenjanin
also exhibit extensive collections.
, was described by the archpriest Jovan Jeremić as "a copy made after the tradition of the Western Church"; however, many of his contemporaries praised the fresco for its vibrancy and expressiveness.
Vasa Pomorišac, Aleksić's student and colleague, gave some very bitter criticism of his teacher's work: "Living in a small village, with all the petty values of such community, his spirit could not reach the soaring heights prophesied to him by his professor, Gysis. He remained far away from that great movement of purification, dying slowly in the backwater dullness, having a painful shade in his soul because he never achieved self-actualization."
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
painter born in Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. His work belongs to the Munich School
Munich School
The most important artistic movement of Greek Art in the 19th century was academic realism, often called in Greece "the Munich School" because of the strong influence from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Munich , where many Greek artists trained.- History :...
. He is especially known for his series of self-portraits, dating from 1895 to 1922, which at the same time illustrate the evolution of his style and technique as well as the changes in his physique and character, and is the largest such collection in Serbian painting
Serbian art
Serbian art refers to the art of the Serbs and Serbia.The territory of today's Serbia has been inhabited since pre-historical times. Indeed, Sirmium is one of the oldest settlements in Europe with archaeologists tracing some form of urban life as far back as 5000 BC.The Romans conquered Sirmium in...
.
Biography
Stevan Aleksić was born on December 23, 1876 in AradArad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
, present-day Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, to a family of artists. His father Dušan and grandfather Nikola were both painters. He finished his elementary school in Arad, where he received his first painting lessons from his father. In 1895 he moved to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, where he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts
Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich was founded 1808 by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria in Munich as the "Royal Academy of Fine Arts" and is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany...
in the class of Nicholas Gysis. When his father died, in 1900, he decided to quit his studies and move to Modoš (today's village of Jaša Tomić, in Vojvodina, Northern Serbia). There he built a house with a studio and married the local teacher, Stefanija Lukić, in 1905. The rest of his life he spent living in Modoš and working as a painter. He died on November 2, 1923.
Work
Stevan Aleksić produced around 230 canvas paintings, decorated more than 20 churches with 100 icons and a number of wall frescoes, and made 60 sketches and drawings.Since his early career Aleksić dealt in decorating churches; he was especially skilled at making monumental compositions with religious or historical context, and decorated a number of sacral objects around Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
. At the same time, in the first decade of the 20th century, he worked as a portraitist.
One of the Aleksić's most notable works is the "Merry People of Banat". He exhibited it at the 4th Yugoslav Art Exhibition in Belgrade in 1912, but received a lot of negative criticism, especially by the art critic Moša Pijade
Moša Pijade
Moša Pijade , nicknamed Čiča Janko was a prominent Yugoslavian/Serbian Communist of Sephardic Jewish origin, a close collaborator of Josip Broz Tito, former President of Yugoslavia, and full member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.In his youth, Pijade was a...
, who wrote that "Some fellow from Modoš, named Aleksić, produced an incredibly bad painting of the people of Banat". After this fiasco Aleksić never again exhibited 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...
, and remained a marginal figure on the Belgrade art scene over the next half century.
Even after the failure of the "Merry People of Banat" Aleksić continued to explore and vary the motive. In 1922, a year before he died, he made his last version of the painting putting himself on the canvas and thus becoming one of the participants in the festive atmosphere. Scenes from the pubs were a popular motive in his days. However, while some painters used this setting to express certain morality issues, it is believed that Aleksić had no such intentions.
Among his most notable works is a series of self-portraits produced between 1895 and 1922 It is the largest such series in Serbian painting, and can be used to track his artistic, mental as well as physical development. Aleksić often depicted himself sitting at a table in a pub, but in the years prior to his death the paintings become more macabre and ominous; he is often accompanied by the figure of Death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, sitting at his table, playing the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
or looking at his plate.
The largest collection of Aleksić's paintings can be seen in the Matica Srpska
Matica srpska
The Matica srpska is the oldest cultural-scientific institution of Serbia. Matica srpska was founded in 1826 in Budapest and moved to Novi Sad in 1864....
Gallery in Novi Sad, while the National Museum of Serbia and the National Museum in Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin is a city and municipality located in the eastern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina. It is the administrative centre of the Central Banat District of Serbia...
also exhibit extensive collections.
Criticism
Aleksić was often criticized as an epigone, a marginal artist and an anachronic painter. His fresco "Crucifixion", painted on the facade of the Saborna Church in Sremski KarlovciSremski Karlovci
Sremski Karlovci is a town and municipality in Serbia, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, situated on the bank of the river Danube, 8 km from Novi Sad...
, was described by the archpriest Jovan Jeremić as "a copy made after the tradition of the Western Church"; however, many of his contemporaries praised the fresco for its vibrancy and expressiveness.
Vasa Pomorišac, Aleksić's student and colleague, gave some very bitter criticism of his teacher's work: "Living in a small village, with all the petty values of such community, his spirit could not reach the soaring heights prophesied to him by his professor, Gysis. He remained far away from that great movement of purification, dying slowly in the backwater dullness, having a painful shade in his soul because he never achieved self-actualization."