Krsto Hegedušić

description

A painter, graphic artist, illustrator, theater designer and the creator of the school of primitive art in the village of Hlebine. Together with his associates, Krsto Hegedusic founded an independent artistic group called Earth in 1929. This group fought for social justice and equality in society, for which it was persecuted by the state. The artist often visited the village of Hlebine, where he spent his childhood; in 1930, he began to teach painting to talented local peasants Ivan Generalich and Franjo Mraz. This was the beginning of the famous Hlebine school of naive art, which glorified the work of Croatian primitive artists around the whole world.

Key ideas:

– The work of Krsto Hegedušić is based on national diversity and its traditions. Rural festivities, fairs, harvesting, the daily concerns of the peasants, as well as the nature of their native land — the artist saw all this from childhood and reproduced it on his canvases.

– The injustice of the state in relation to the villagers never left the artist indifferent; so, most of his works have a social theme. A vivid example of such a picture is “Requisition” (1929), in which officials deprive people of their honestly acquired property. The canvas is permeated with bright emotions and empathy of the author, which, together with an expressive pattern, a kind of dark humor and grotesque, form the basis of Hegedušić’s painting.

– The artist worked in a variety of techniques, from drawings in pencil to wall painting; his favorite way of painting was oil painting on glass.

– In the creative heritage of the author, there are many genre scenes from the life of peasants in the landscape and interior, as well as portraits and large multi-figure compositions. Hegedušić’s color palette is rich and diverse; his images are generalized, the characters are emotional, and the composition is dynamic.

– Having found like-minded people among Croatian artists, Hegedušić founded the artistic association “Earth”, which, with the help of his work, protested against the oppression of villagers. Their activities did not go unnoticed at the state level; that is why artists were persecuted and even arrested.

– Hiding from persecution, the artist was forced to spend a lot of time in Hlebine, his small motherland. There, he first saw works of self-taught artist Ivan Generalich and became his teacher. Later a few talented rural artists, who formed the famous school of naive artists in Hlebine, joined them. This association played a key role in the formation of the primitive art of the Croats, which soon became famous throughout the world.

+ Read more

1901

1920

1928

1929

1930 - 1935

1936 - 1945

1945

1950

1971

1975

rsto Hegedušić was born

Krsto Hegedušić was born on November 26 in the village of Petrinia, Austria-Hungary. After the death of his father, the family moved to the village of Hlebine, where the artist’s childhood passed. The future artist received his secondary education in Zagreb.

Studied at the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts

Studied at the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts (1920-1926). After he graduated, French government awarded him a scholarship for outstanding achievements, which involved two years of study in Paris (1926-1928). In the capital of France, Hegedušić saw works of the classics, from which the works of Pieter Bruegel made the greatest impression on him. At the same time, he actively studied contemporary art, adopting the experience of Expressionism, Cubism, Fauvism and other popular avant-garde movements.

Returning home, he lived in Zagreb

Returning home, he lived in Zagreb, occasionally visiting Hlebine, where he learnt the works of talented self-taught artists.

The artist met Ivan Generalich

The artist met Ivan Generalich and became his teacher. Thanks to Hegedušić, Generalich developed his naive style and gradually won worldwide fame of a genius primitivist. Together with artists Ivan Tabakovich and Oton Postružnik he created the group “Earth”, the first Croatian association of artists who sympathized with Marxism. This group was independent of foreign influences, such as Impressionism and Neoclassicism. Its participants believed that art should be tightly connected with people and reflect the social environment from which it originates. For his “leftist” political views, many of its participants, including Hegedušić, were harassed by the state.

Organized the School of folk primitive artists in Hlebine

Organized the School of folk primitive artists in Hlebine, which became famous throughout the world and had a large number of followers. After the first generation of primitives, which included Ivan Generalich, Franjo Mraz and Mirko Virius, the students of the artist, the second, the third and the fourth waves of the artists from Hlebine appeared. Five years later, the organization was banned by the authorities.

He started teaching at the Academy of Arts of Zagreb

He started teaching at the Academy of Arts of Zagreb, continued to actively participate in the publication of left-wing magazines, in demonstrations, for which he was arrested more than once. In 1941, he was sent to a concentration camp in Gospic, but was freed by his friends. During World War II, Hegedušić enjoyed the protection of Archbishop A. Stepinats, thanks to which he had the opportunity to continue his creative work, painting in several churches (one of the most significant was the fresco of Calvary in Maria Bistrica).

After the end of the war, he returned to the Academy of Zagreb

After the end of the war, he returned to the Academy of Zagreb, where he became a professor in the department of visual arts. In the postwar years, the subject of the artist’s works became more pessimistic. The paintings reflect the difficult years of occupation and post-war devastation.

Together with like-minded, he created the art "Master Studio"

Together with like-minded, he created the art “Master Studio”, which gained great popularity. In 1957, he became the director of the Institute of Graphics of the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts.