82. Red Flower

One of the more important Serbian painters of the 20th century, Sava Šumanović (Vinkovci, 1896 - Srijemska Mitrovica, 1942) was born into a wealthy family. Although his father opposed the artistic career, Šumanović attended a private painting school. He studied at the Higher Temporary School of Art and Crafts in Zagreb in the class of O. Iveković and M. Cl. Crnčić. In Paris, the prominent art educator A. Lhote led him to cubism, and Lhote considered him one of his best students. Yet, on his return to Zagreb, he abandoned Cubism and leaned towards academic tradition. He then painted cool and large figural compositions and expressionist acts. He collaborated and befriended A. B. Šimić, whom he visually equipped poetry editions of the Attack and Transfigurations. He also worked with scenography, as well as theoretical writing on art. Over the years he worked a lot, painted, created, exhibited, wrote and after a nervous breakdown, he ended up in a private clinic. Returning to Šid, he found the peace he needed to create, painting motifs of his native region. He was shot in 1942 in Srijemska Mitrovica at the age of 46. He began exhibiting independently as a young artist. His second exhibition was already in 1920 in Zagreb when he exhibited 26 oils and 13 watercolors. Among the exhibits were three still lifes, one of which is shown here under the name Red Flowers. The classic motif of still life - a vase with flowers - Šumanović represented with visible modernist influences. The motif is simplified, without decorative details. The focus is on the geometry of shapes and the relationship of tones. The typical restrained tones of brown, blue-green and dim pink dominate in Šumanović's work.

Dimensions

width 93 cm, height 62 cm

Description

oil on canvas

Research information

The work was exhibited at the solo exhibition "Šumanović", May 1920, MUO, Zagreb, registered under the name "Red Flower", cat. no. 34. The work is registered in the monograph "Sava Šumanović, Life and Art", Dimitrije Bašićević, Society of Art Historians of Croatia, Zagreb, 1960., under the name "Red Flower" cat. no. 42, p. 92. The work is inventory in the catalog of Gipsoteca "Šumanović", cat. no. 41. In the early 1920s, Sava Šumanović was a scenographer at the Croatian National Theatre, where he met and became friends with engineer Vladimir Kichel, the wardrobe master at the Croatian National Theatre. He gifted him the painting after his solo exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in 1920.

PROVENANCE

Historical collection of engineer Vladimir Kichel.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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