Bela Čikoš Sesija (born Adalbert Csikos Sessia; 27 January 1864 in

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

– 11 February 1931 in

Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...

) was a Croatian

Symbolist Symbolism or symbolist may refer to: *Symbol, any object or sign that represents an idea Arts *Artistic symbol, an element of a literary, visual, or other work of art that represents an idea ** Color symbolism, the use of colors within various c ...

painter, art teacher and one of the founders of the

Academy of Fine Arts The following is a list of notable art schools. Accredited non-profit art and design colleges * Adelaide Central School of Art * Alberta College of Art and Design * Art Academy of Cincinnati * Art Center College of Design * The Art Institute ...

Biography

Čikoš Sesija's father was a Captain in the border patrol of the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...

.Brief biography
@ Essekeri. One of the Čikoš' ancestors was a hero at the Battle of the Sesia in 1524 and, as a result, was knighted with the name "Sesija". Due to his father's reassignments, the family moved frequently and his education was sporadic until he entered the Cadet School at

Karlovac Karlovac () is a city in central Croatia. In the 2021 census, its population was 49,377. Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County. The city is located southwest of Zagreb and northeast of Rijeka, and is connected to them via the ...

in 1874. After graduation, in 1882, Čikoš Sesija was assigned to the 78th Osijek

infantry regiment Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

under Baron

Josip Šokčević Baron Josip Šokčević (; 7 March 1811 – 16 November 1896), was a Croatian lieutenant marshal in the Austro-Hungarian Army who served as the ban of Croatia and as the governor of the Voivodeship of Serbia and Temes Banat. Biography Early l ...

. He moved up in the ranks quickly, becoming a full Lieutenant in 1886, but resigned the following year because he refused to help support

Károly Khuen-Héderváry Count Károly Khuen-Héderváry de Hédervár, born as ''Károly Khuen de Belás'' (; ; 23 May 1849 – 16 February 1918) was a Hungarian politician and the ban of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia in the late nineteenth century. Khuen's reign w ...

's policy of

Magyarization Magyarization ( , also Hungarianization; ), after "Magyar"—the Hungarian autonym—was an assimilation or acculturation process by which non-Hungarian nationals living in the Kingdom of Hungary, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, adop ...

."Retrospektiva Bele Čikoša Sesije: Soldat i symbolist"
by Igor Brešan @ Slobodna Dalmacija Despite having shown no particular aptitude for art, Čikoš Sesija enrolled at the

Academy of Fine Arts Vienna The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna () is a public art school in Vienna, Austria. Founded in 1688 as a private academy, it is now a public university. The academy is also known for twice rejecting admission to a young Adolf Hitler in 1907 and 1908. ...

, where he studied with Julius Victor Berger. While there he received two gold medals, in 1889 and 1891, for scenes depicting ancient history. In 1891, he also enrolled in a special course in Orientalist painting taught by Leopold Müller. After Müller's death in 1892, he returned to Zagreb and participated in decorating the "Pompeian Room" at the local offices of the "Department of Education and Religious Affairs" (now occupied by the ""). His work there was supervised by the head of the department, Izidor Kršnjavi, who would become his patron and mentor. The first thing Kršnjavi did was send him on a study trip to Venice with

Robert Frangeš-Mihanović Robert Frangeš-Mihanović (2 October 1872 – 12 January 1940) was a Croatian people, Croatian sculptor. He was a pioneer of modern Croatian sculpture. He was also a prominent figure in the artistic scene in Zagreb at the turn of the Twentieth C ...

and

Ferdo Kovačević Ferdo Kovačević (8 April 1870, Zagreb - 1 September 1927, Zagreb) was a Croatian painter and art professor. Biography His father was the inventor and telegraphy pioneer, Ferdinand Kovačević. In 1888, he graduated from the technical schoo ...

. This was followed by studies at the

Academy of Fine Arts, Munich The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich (, also known as Munich Academy) is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany. It is located in the Maxvorstadt district of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. In the second half of the 19th centur ...

with Wilhelm Lindenschmit. Čikoš Sesija then married his cousin Justine, then together embarked on another study trip to Italy. This was followed by more studies in Munich, with Carl von Marr, after which he settled in Zagreb, joining the circle of painters who gathered around

Vlaho Bukovac Vlaho Bukovac (; ; 4 July 1855 – 23 April 1922) was a Croatian painting, painter and academic. His life and work were eclecticism, eclectic, for the artist pursued his career in a variety of locales and his style changed greatly over the course ...

. His mentor, Kršnjavi, was not happy about that, believing that Bukovac was a bad influence. This led to a conflict that caused him to leave Zagreb, in 1895, taking a job as a drawing teacher in

Ogulin Ogulin () is a town in central Croatia, in Karlovac County. It has a population of 7,389 (2021) (it was 8,216 in 2011), and a total municipal population of 12,251 (2021). Ogulin is known for its historic stone castle, known as Kula, and the nearby ...

. A year later, he was back in Zagreb, with his own studio and reconciled with Kršnjavi. In 1902, he left Zagreb again; this time largely for economic reasons, and traveled to America with fellow painter Robert Auer. After a mostly unsuccessful year, he came back and opened a private art school, together with Menci Klement Crnčić. Four years later he, Crnčić, Auer, Frangeš-Mihanović, ,

Oton Iveković Oton Iveković (; 17 April 1869 – 4 July 1939) was a Croats, Croatian painter. A graduate of Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, Iveković later taught at the University of Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts, Academy of Fine ...

and

Branko Šenoa Branimir Šenoa (7 August 1879 – 4 December 1939) was a Croatian painter, graphic artist, and art historian. He was born in Zagreb, the son of the prominent writer August Šenoa. In 1910, he married Nasta Rojc with the understanding that the ...

would join together to help create the "Royal College for Arts and Crafts" (now the Academy of Fine Arts at the

University of Zagreb The University of Zagreb (, ) is a public university, public research university in Zagreb, Croatia. It is the largest Croatian university and one of the oldest continuously operating universities in Europe. The University of Zagreb and the Unive ...

). In his later years Čikoš Sesija became increasingly withdrawn. He died suddenly, while at his easel, working on a canvas called "The Death of Innocence".

Works

File:Marko Antonije nad Cezarom Bela Čikoš Sesija.JPG,

Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman people, Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the Crisis of the Roman Republic, transformation of the Roman Republic ...

and

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war. He ...

's Corpse File:Odysseus-Čikoš Sesija.jpg,

Odysseus In Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology, Odysseus ( ; , ), also known by the Latin variant Ulysses ( , ; ), is a legendary Greeks, Greek king of Homeric Ithaca, Ithaca and the hero of Homer's Epic poetry, epic poem, the ''Odyssey''. Od ...

Kills the Suitors File:Homer uči Dantea Shakespearea i Goethea pjevati.JPG, Homer teaches Dante, Shakespeare and Goethe to sing File:Bela Čikoš Sesija - Iz Danteova Pakla.jpg, From Dante's Inferno File:Dante pred vratima čistilišta Bela Čikoš Sesija.JPG, Dante Before the Gates of Purgatory File:Bela Čikoš Sesija - Dante.jpg, Dante and Beatrice File:Bela Čikoš Sesija - Judita i Holoferno.jpg, Judith and Holofernes File:Bela Čikoš Sesija - Ta-bu-bu.jpg, ''Ta-bu-bu'' File:Valpurgina noć Bela Čikoš Sesija.JPG, Walpurgis Nacht File:Bela Čikoš Sesija - Studija za Mrtvu stražu.jpg, Study of a dead guard File:Bela Čikoš Sesija - Poluakt žene.jpg, Half-Nude Female File:Bela Čikoš Sesija - Studija ženske glave.jpg, Study of a Woman's head File:Bela Čikoš Sesija - Ženski akt.jpg, Female Nude File:Pokrštenje Hrvata Bela Čikoš Sesija.JPG, Christening of the Croats File:Janko Kamauf (Bela Čikoš Sesija).jpg, Portrait of Janko Kamauf File:Bela Čikoš Sesija - Trijumf nevinosti.jpg, ''Triumph of Innocence''

References

External links

"Sve Beline žene: supruga Justina, sluškinja Dora, Slava Raškaj.."
(All of Bela's wives: Cousin Justine, maid Dora, Slava Raškaj...) by Patricia Kiš @ ''

Jutarnji List () is a Croatian daily newspaper based in Zagreb. It was published on 6 April 1998 by EPH (Europapress holding, owned by Ninoslav Pavić), which eventually changed its name in Hanza Media after being bought by Marijan Hanžeković. The newspap ...

''
"Slikar velikih ideja i velikih osjećanja"
(A Painter of Great Ideas and Great Emotions) Exhibition notes by Feđa Gavrilović, from ''

Vijenac ''Vijenac'' ( English: '' The Wreath'') is a biweekly magazine for literature, art and science, established in December 1993 and published by ''Matica hrvatska'', the central national cultural institution in Croatia. Historical background The ...

'', #467, January 26, 2012, @ Matica hrvatska
Search results
for Bela Čikoš Sesija @ ''

Večernji List (also known as '; ) is a Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian daily newspaper published in Zagreb and Mostar. History and profile was started in Zagreb in 1959. Its predecessor ' ('Evening Courier') appeared for the first time on 3 June 1957 in ...

'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Cikos Sesija, Bela 1864 births 1931 deaths People from Osijek Members of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts Art Nouveau painters Symbolist painters 19th-century Croatian painters 20th-century Croatian painters Croatian male painters Croatian people of Hungarian descent 19th-century Croatian male artists 20th-century Croatian male artists Burials at Mirogoj Cemetery Painters from Austria-Hungary

Biography

Works

References

Further reading

External links