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Matej Brodnik Oil on canvas |
Room #5 A List of the Gallery's Paintings Search by: |
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In Croatia, travelling painters have marked nearly the entire 19th c. by their works. A large number of their paintings may be found in galleries all over the country, and Varazdin gallery is not an exception. Among portraits, we should like to single out this particular one attributed to Matija Brodnik. It is a portrait of Ljubica Pisacic-Kukuljevic, on which Brodnik has expressed his feeling for colour in full, as well as a most powerful expression, turning him into one of the best portraitists of the 19th c. 40's in the area. Matija Brodnik was born in 1814 in Toplice near Novi Marof (Slovenia). He died on 31 March, 1845 in Zagreb. He painted St. Thomas' church in Zagreb, as well as the church in Remete. He also painted a number of commissioned portraits, all in the spirit of Biedermeier. His style is characterized by a profound sense of colour and characteristic poses. Apart from portraits, he also painted murals in churches, and copied old masters. The above mentioned portrait is one among his most successful works, along with miniatures, all done in Biedermeier style. Brodnik is the first local 19th c. painter who was working in Zagreb throughout his career. |
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