A short Historical Overview of Painting in Slovenia
Originally conceived as a decorative adjunct to ecclesiastical architecture, painting on the territory of Slovenia came into its own right in the 15th century with the emergence of easel painting and the use of oil on canvas.
Medieval painting
The oldest documented paintings in Sl oveniaare the late 13th-century 'Zackenstil' style frescoes found in the Minorite church in Ptuj (destroyed in 1945) and in the west gallery of Ptuj Parish Church. Ecclesiastical art created in Pomurje in the 14th century is comparable in terms of artistic quality and volume with that of Central Europe during the same period. Created by Master Janez Akvila from Radgona, the frescos at Turnišče (1383–89), Radgona-Radkersburg (about 1390) and Martjanci (after 1392) are rich in both content and detail. Akvila’s work was continued by his collaborators and pupils.
From the late 14th century, as elsewhere in Central Europe, the linear, flat painting style of the earlier period gave way initially to techniques influenced by the innovations of Giotto, and later to the International Gothic style of Burgundy, Bohemia and northern Italy, with its rich, decorative colouring, flowing lines and more rational use of perspective. During the early 15th century a number local gentry invited well-known foreign workshops to adorn their churches, for example in Ptujska gora, where the workshop of Hans of Bruneck painted a chapel.
A local lyrical variant of the International Gothic style was created in the mid 15th century in the churches of central and south eastern Slovenia by Janez Ljubljanski, son of Carinthian painter Frederic from Villach/Beljak. Also dating from this period is the chapel of the abbey church in Celje, a distant descendant of Sainte Chapelle in Paris; its frescoes rank among the paintings of greatest worldwide significance in Slovenia.
Late Gothic painting in 15th-century Slovenia is identifiable by its warm colours, fresco technique and mystical religious symbolism. In the Kranj region an iconographic cannon known as 'Kranj presbiterium' appeared, linked to the symbolism of architecture and the spirit of Augustinus Civitas Dei. One extant example is a small church called Suha at Škofja Loka: under a wooden painted ceiling the north wall depicts the Adoration of the Magi, the west wall the Last Judgement, and the altar space the Apostles, with Christ the King above all. Outside the church is an image of St Christopher.
Panel painting became popular during this period; an important example is Conrad Laib’s polyptych (c 1460) in Ptuj. The so-called Kranj Altar by Vid from Kamnik is located in Vienna gallery. It is worth mentioning a masterpiece Madonna with Blessing Child (The Hoče Madonna), circa 1465, by Giovanni Francesco da Rimini, in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Slovenia. Profane motives are also occasionally found in the ecclesiastical art of this period, such as the depiction of everyday chores seen at Stična monastery.
Renaissance and Baroque painting
From the mid 15th century there developed a softer style which demonstrated the idealised Renaissance aesthetic from the north and Italy, often featuring landscapes from Križna gora above Škofja Loka or St Primož above Kamnik.
The frescoes at Šentvid near Vipava (1480s) were influenced by the early Venetian Renaissance, while the impact of Pellegrino da San Daniele’s style is evident in the frescoes at Dolenja Vas church, near Sežana (c 1510).
Prior to the Renaissance period most paintings were conceived as decorative and/or devotional features within a wider building, but the rise of easel painting and the first use of oil on canvas during the 15th century brought a sea change in the manner in which artists worked, stimulating the beginnings of genre and the elaboration of portraiture. The Slovene territories were no exception, and portraits of individual donors became common during this period.
The development of painting was interrupted in the second half of the 16th century by the Protestant Reformation; thereafter wall paintings were mainly decorative and easel paintings were mostly based on etchings.
During the early 17th century there took place something of an artistic revival. Ljubljana in particular saw a significant resuscitation of artistic activity, thanks largely to Catholic Bishop Tomaž Hren, who brought in Carinthian painters influenced by northern styles to decorate his churches. First to be brought back to life was carving, followed subsequently by painting; within a few decades both had assumed a Baroque form. At this time Slovene art was engaged in a constant balancing act between northern and Italian influences.
During the 17th century the gentry often engaged painters from Germany and Holland to create their portraits, but by the beginning of the 18th century Ljubljana was under the firm influence of Italian art. Workshops in the Baroque were held in Carinthia, and many Baroque artists came to Slovenia, including Italian Baroque artist Giulio Quaglio II (1688–1751), who decorated Ljubljana Cathedral (1701–06) and trained Franc Jelovšek.
During the 18th century central Slovene easel painting was dominated by French artist Valentin Janez Metzinger (1699–1759) and Slovene artist Fortunat Bergant (1630–1693), and in the second half of the 18th century by Austrian artist Martin Johann Schmidt (1718–1801). In northern Slovenia the works of Austrian artist Hans Adam Weissenkircher (1646–1695) were imported, while German artist Franz Ignaz Flurer (1688–1742) and Slovene artist Anton Lerchinger (1720–c1792) produced wall and easel paintings locally.
19th and early 20th century painting
During the 19th century painting was characterised by a new relationship with antiquity and classicism, with Franc Kavčič (1755–1828) from Gorica (one-time Dean at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts and Design) as its main proponent. Alongside this there was an increased emphasis on intellectualism, rationalism and the importance of academia in the art world. At the same time, a vernacular style developed, commonly seen on beehive panes, furniture and glass paintings.
Religious painting of this era was based largely on the Baroque tradition and influenced at the end of the century by the Nazarenes, while portrait painting showed Biedermeier characteristics, as in the work of Jožef Tominc (1790–1866), Matevž Langus (1792–1855) and Mihael Stroj (1803–1871). Landscape painting enjoyed new popularity at this time with the romantic works of Anton Karinger (1829–1870) and Marko Pernhart (1824–1871).
During this period many Slovene artists travelled overseas to study and work in Paris, Berlin and other European capitals. Realist painters Janez Šubic (1850–1889) and Jurij Šubic (1855–1890) were the first Slovenes to appear at the Paris Salon, Slovenia’s first professionally-trained female painter, Ivana Kobilca (1861–1926), began working within the Expressionist movement during this period along with Ferdo Vesel and Janez Petkovšek. She lived in various European cities (Vienna, Munich, Paris, Sarajevo and Berlin) and produced portraits, genre subjects and plein-air landscapes.
At the end of the century, Anton Ažbe (1862–1905) opened a private school in Munich, attracting young Slovene artists and emigrants such as Aleksei Jawlensky (1864–1941) and Vasilij Kandinski (1866–1944) to Germany. Ažbe was one of the first portrait painters and realists of the 19th century to gain wide recognition. However, the worldwide reputation of Slovene visual arts was really secured during the first half of the 20th century by Ažbe's students, Impressionists Ivan Grohar (1867–1911), Rihard Jakopič (1869–1943), Matija Jama (1872–1947) and Matej Sternen (1870–1949). Their exhibitions in Trieste (1902) and Vienna (1904) proved an important milestone in the development of the sector's international cultural context. Today their works can be seen at the National Gallery of Slovenia in Ljubljana.
The most important group of young painters at the start of the 20th century was the group known as Vesna (‘Spring’). Its members, Gvidon Birolla (1881–1963), Maksim Gaspari (1883–1980) and Hinko Smrekar (1883–1943), had all studied in Vienna absorbing the decorative language of the Secession, whilst importantly introducing Slovene folk art motifs into their works.
After 1918 the main influences came from post-Impressionism, folk arts and symbolism. The European-wide avant-garde movement was less established in Slovenia, but constructivism, futurism and surrealism were prevalent.
Expressionist France Kralj (1985–1960) and Božidar Jakac (1899–1989), the founder of modern Slovene graphic art, both studied in Prague. Painter, graphic artist and photographer Veno Pilon (1896–1970) showed Expressionist tendencies, while Avgust Černigoj (1898–1985) was a Constructivist. He took courses at the Bauhaus in Dessau, and was a key figure of the Slovene avant-garde artistic scene, along with writer Srečko Kosovel (1904–1926). Pilon's works may be seen at the Pilon Gallery in Ajdovščina, while Černigoj’s works are hung at the Avgust Černigoj Gallery in Lipica.
