Edo Murtić (4 May 1921 – 2 January 2005) was a

painter Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

from

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

, best known for his

lyrical abstraction Lyrical abstraction arose from either of two related but distinct art movement, trends in Post-war Modernist painting: * European ''Abstraction Lyrique'': a movement that emerged in Paris, with the French art critic Jean José Marchand being cr ...

and

abstract expressionism Abstract expressionism in the United States emerged as a distinct art movement in the aftermath of World War II and gained mainstream acceptance in the 1950s, a shift from the American social realism of the 1930s influenced by the Great Depressi ...

style. He worked in a variety of media, including

oil painting Oil painting is a painting method involving the procedure of painting with pigments combined with a drying oil as the Binder (material), binder. It has been the most common technique for artistic painting on canvas, wood panel, or oil on coppe ...

gouache Gouache (; ), body color, or opaque watercolor is a water-medium paint consisting of natural pigment, water, a binding agent (usually gum arabic or dextrin), and sometimes additional inert material. Gouache is designed to be opaque. Gouach ...

graphic design Graphic design is a profession, academic discipline and applied art that involves creating visual communications intended to transmit specific messages to social groups, with specific objectives. Graphic design is an interdisciplinary branch of ...

ceramics A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porce ...

mosaics A mosaic () is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/Mortar (masonry), mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and ...

mural A mural is any piece of Graphic arts, graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' ...

s and theatrical set design. Murtić travelled and exhibited extensively in Europe and North America, gaining international recognition for his work, which can be found in museums, galleries and private collections worldwide. He was one of the founders of the group "March" (''Mart'') in 1956, and received many international awards. In 1958 Murtić participated in the three biggest events in the world of

contemporary art Contemporary art is a term used to describe the art of today, generally referring to art produced from the 1970s onwards. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a ...

: the

Venice Biennale The Venice Biennale ( ; ) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy. There are two main components of the festival, known as the Art Biennale () and the Venice Biennale of Architecture, Architecture Biennale (), ...

, the

Carnegie Prize The Carnegie Prize is an international art prize awarded by the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It currently consists of a $10,000 cash prize accompanied by a gold medal. History The Carnegie Prize was established in 1896, t ...

in Pittsburgh, and

Documenta Documenta (often stylized documenta) is an Art exhibition, exhibition of contemporary art which takes place every five years in Kassel, Germany. Documenta was founded by artist, teacher and curator Arnold Bode in 1955 as part of the Bundesgarte ...

in Kassel. Interest in the art of Edo Murtić continues to grow, with retrospective exhibits in major museums. Murtić was a member of the

Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (; , HAZU) is the national academy of Croatia. HAZU was founded under the patronage of the Croatian bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer under the name Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts (, JAZU) since its ...

, and a member of the Croatian

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights Helsinki Committees for Human Rights exist in many European countries (and in the wider OSCE region) as volunteer, non-profit organizations devoted to the protection of human rights. It was presumably named after the Helsinki Accords. It was for ...

Biography

Murtić was born on 4 May 1921 in Velika Pisanica near

Bjelovar Bjelovar (, , Czech language, Czech: ''Bělovar'' or ''Bělovár,'' Kajkavian dialect, Kajkavian: ''Belovar,'' Latin: ''Bellovarium'') is a city in central Croatia. In the Demographics of Croatia, 2021 census, its population was 36,316 . It is ...

(then in

Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () has been its colloq ...

). He was the second child of Vinko and Franciska Murtić. Early in his childhood, the family moved to

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 ...

where Murtić received his education. He attended Craft School 1935–39, studying under

Edo Kovačević Edo Kovačević (16 November 1906 – 15 March 1993) was a Croatian artist, best known for his colourful landscapes and views of suburban Zagreb. He worked mainly in oils and pastels, using subtle colour harmonies and lively brush strokes to bring ...

, Kamilo Tompa and Ernest Tomašević. His first exhibition was held in 1935 at the Royal High School in Zagreb. In 1939, Murtić enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb under

Ljubo Babić Ljubomir Tito Stjepan Babić (14 June 1890 – 14 May 1974) was a Croatian artist, museum curator and literary critic. As an artist, he worked in a variety of media including oils, tempera, watercolour, drawing, etching, and lithography. He wa ...

and

Krsto Hegedušić Krsto Hegedušić (26 November 1901 – 7 April 1975) was a Croatian painter, illustrator and theater designer. His most famous paintings depict the harsh life of the Croatian peasantry in the manner of naive art. He was one of the founders of ...

. During 1940 he attended classes given by Petar Dobrović in

Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...

returning to Zagreb in 1941 to complete his studies at the academy. Murtić was strongly influenced by

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

ideas, and at the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he became involved in the

anti-fascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were op ...

movement. In the spring of 1944, Murtić joined the liberation forces, where he worked designing graphics, posters, and books. In the years following the war, Murtić began to travel and exhibit extensively. In 1951 he spent time in the U.S. and Canada, where he encountered the

movement. Back in Zagreb he was one of the founders of the group "March" (''Mart'') in 1956. In 1958 Murtić participated in the three biggest events in the world of

: the

, the

in Pittsburgh, and

in Kassel. Murtić's wife was Goranka Vrus Murtić, a well-known artist in her own right. Together they bought and renovated an old stone house in the town of Vrsar, on the

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; ; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian: ; ; ) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. Located at th ...

n coast. Although their main residence was in Zagreb, they spent much of each year in Vrsar. Of his summer house and studio, Murtić said ''"It is really nice here, I enjoy the silence and concentration that is irreplaceable... I do not know if I would find a more beautiful place anywhere in the world."'' The landscape there inspired many of his paintings, especially the "Montraker" cycle, which is named for the nearby

Ancient Roman In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...

stone quarry. Edo Murtić was a member of the

Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (; , HAZU) is the national academy of Croatia. HAZU was founded under the patronage of the Croatian bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer under the name Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts (, JAZU) since its ...

(now the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts) and the Croatian

. He was named an honorary citizen of the town of

. Edo Murtić died in Zagreb on 2 January 2005, aged 83.

Legacy

Edo Murtić was a prominent representative of abstract painting. Primarily known for painting in

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) and lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturate ...

, and

, he also produced a variety of other works such as graphic design, ceramics, mosaics, murals, and theatrical set design. Murtic's early work was mainly realistic paintings of interiors, portraits and still lifes, and graphical illustrations. Following the Second World War, a new direction in art was taking place in North America, particularly New York where

Abstract Expressionism Abstract expressionism in the United States emerged as a distinct art movement in the aftermath of World War II and gained mainstream acceptance in the 1950s, a shift from the American social realism of the 1930s influenced by the Great Depressi ...

became a personal expression of the artists' feelings and experiences. At the same time in Paris,

Lyrical Abstraction Lyrical abstraction arose from either of two related but distinct art movement, trends in Post-war Modernist painting: * European ''Abstraction Lyrique'': a movement that emerged in Paris, with the French art critic Jean José Marchand being cr ...

was establishing a new identity. During the 1950s, Murtić experienced both art scenes at first hand. In America he encountered artists such as

Willem de Kooning Willem de Kooning ( , ; April 24, 1904 – March 19, 1997) was a Dutch-American abstract expressionist artist. Born in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, he moved to the United States in 1926, becoming a US citizen in 1962. In 1943, he married pa ...

and

Jackson Pollock Paul Jackson Pollock (; January 28, 1912August 11, 1956) was an American painter. A major figure in the abstract expressionist movement, Pollock was widely noticed for his "Drip painting, drip technique" of pouring or splashing liquid household ...

, and in Europe he saw the work of

Jean René Bazaine Jean René Bazaine (; 21 December 1904 – 4 March 2001) was a French Painting, painter, designer of stained glass windows and writer. He was the great great grandson of the English Court portraitist George Hayter, Sir George Hayter. Studies Baz ...

, Alfred Manessier, and

Gustave Singier Gustave Singier (11 February 1909, Warneton5 May 1984, Paris) was a Belgian abstract art, non-figurative painter active in France as part of the new Paris School of Lyrical Abstraction and the Salon de Mai. Early life He spent his childhood in ...

. Murtić's own paintings of this time show the influence of these ideas as he developed his own personal style. Towards the early 1960s, there were signs of

Tachisme __NOTOC__ Tachisme (alternative spelling: Tachism, derived from the French word ''tache'', stain; ) is a French style of Abstract art, abstract painting popular in the 1940s and 1950s. The term is said to have been first used with regards to the ...

and

Art Informel Informalism or Art Informel () is a pictorial movement from the 1943–1950s, that includes all the abstract and gestural tendencies that developed in France and the rest of Europe during the World War II, similar to American abstract express ...

in his work. His paintings on dark ground were almost monochrome, while those on a light ground showed a rhythmical movement of a dark mass across it. This distinctive theme became his trademark style, with increasingly dynamic strokes with intense, energetic colour. During the 1970s, Murtić's works began appearing in public areas, such as in the

Mirogoj Cemetery The Mirogoj City Cemetery (, ), also known as Mirogoj Cemetery (), is a cemetery park that is considered to be among the more noteworthy landmarks in the city of Zagreb. The cemetery inters members of all religious groups: Catholic, Orthodox, M ...

in Zagreb, the Memorial in the Čazma Ossuary, the

Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall () is a large concert hall and convention center in Zagreb, Croatia. It is named after Vatroslav Lisinski, a 19th-century Croatian composer. The building has a big hall with 1,841 seats and a small hall with 305 s ...

, and the

Zagrepčanka Zagrepčanka is a high-rise office building located in Zagreb, Croatia. The address is Savska 41, on the Savska Road and Vukovar Avenue intersection. Technical information Zagrepčanka is ranked 4th by height (1st when you include the antenn ...

office building (1975). By the 1980s, Murtić was internationally recognized as one of the leading abstract painters from the socialist world. In the summer of 1981 he spent months sailing around the southern Adriatic coast. From that experience came his "Fires" (Požari) cycle, a masterful interpretation of the landscape using strong gesture and expressive colour. The "Eyes of Fear" cycle (1981-4) was stimulated by a new edition of "Jama", a poem by

Ivan Goran Kovačić Ivan Goran Kovačić (; 21 March 1913 – 12 July 1943) was a Croatian poet and writer. Early life and background He was born in the town of Lukovdol, Vrbovsko municipality, in Gorski Kotar, to a Croat father, Ivan Kovačić, and Transylvani ...

on the horrors of war. Once again committing himself to create the illustrations, Murtić immersed himself in the topic of war, violence, pain and fear. He uses the symbolism of two dark figures from mythology - the Minotaur and the Raven, who are depicted at various times as horse, bull and villain. A threatening atmosphere is created by these figures combined with a stark red and black colour scheme and the tension of his drawing. The "Montraker" cycle (1992–95) was inspired by the

stone quarry near Vrsar, which became an important motif for Murtić. He was inspired not just by the landscape itself, but its history of being shaped by the hand of man. He portrayed the rocks and the surrounding views with the lights and shadows of different times of day, through the seasons and changing weather, giving a sense of the passage of time both in the landscape, and in himself. Even in his most abstract work, Murtić remained connected with nature. The shapes of the landscape are expressed by gesture or selection of colour. The line of the hill, rock, or tree are portrayed without reference to volume, and his palette was based on the colours and lights of the surrounding landscape. Edo Murtić himself said of his paintings that he "drew these colours out of the Istrian landscape" and that it would be possible to talk of "some essence of colour". In January 2010, an exhibit of Edo Murtić's "War" (''Rat'') opened at the Art Pavilion in Zagreb. Over 350 of his drawings, gouaches and collages on the subject of death, suffering, horror, and war were on display, presenting a strong

humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humanism" ha ...

and anti-war message. At the opening reception, guests included the President of the Republic of Croatia

Ivo Josipović Ivo Josipović (; born 28 August 1957) is a Croatia, Croatian Academic staff, academic, jurist, composer, and politician who served as the president of Croatia from 2010 to 2015. Josipović entered politics as a member of the League of Communist ...

, Prime Minister

Jadranka Kosor Jadranka Kosor (; born 1 July 1953) is a Croatian politician and former journalist who served as Prime Minister of Croatia from 2009 to 2011, having taken office following the sudden resignation of her predecessor Ivo Sanader. Kosor was the List ...

, Deputy Prime Minister

Đurđa Adlešič Đurđa Adlešič (also Đurđa Adlešić; born 9 August 1960) is a former Croatian politician and former leader of the center-right Croatian Social Liberal Party The Croatian Social Liberal Party ( or HSLS) is a conservative-liberal poli ...

, Minister of Culture Božo Biškupić, fellow artists, architects, musicians, directors and many others. In his opening remarks, Božo Biškupić called Murtić "one of the greatest Croatian artists of the second half of the 20th century" and one who "pointed the way to the beginning of a new century". The Director of the Art Pavilion, Radovan Vuković described the exhibit as an "exceptional cultural and artistic event", and referring to the large crowd at the opening said "This confirms that Edo Murtić is not just a name, a symbol of Croatian culture and art of the 20th century, but that five years after his death still excites incredible interest". The Murtić Foundation (''Fundacija Murtić'') has been established to ensure that his art will continue to be available for future generations. "The Foundation will contribute to building our national identity" said Ivo Josipović, the Croatian President, "It deserves a museum because his work is great and very important, and the next generation will certainly want to see it. Edo Murtić donated over 1,500 of his works to the City of Zagreb, including paintings, sculptures, mosaics, drawings, ceramics and enamels. An exhibit of 300 selected works "From the Murtić Donation" opened in the

Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb The Museum of Contemporary Art (, often abbreviated to MSU) is a contemporary art art museum, museum located on Dubrovnik Avenue in Zagreb, Croatia. It is the biggest and most modern museum in the country. Vesna Meštrić is current director of MS ...

in October 2010. As part of the opening celebrations, the street on the east side of the museum was officially named in his honour.

Works

* Illustrations for "Red Horse" (''Crveni konj'') by Jure Kaštelan 1940 * Lithographs for "The Pit" (''Jama'') by Ivan Goran Kovačić. 1944 * Cycle "American Experience" (Dozivlja Amerike) including "Manhattan" (1950), "New York" (1950) * "Autumn" Jesen (1962.) * "Blue screen" Plava podloga (1964.) * "Black Triangle" Crni trokut (1968) * Memorial in Čazma ossuary, 1970s * Tapestries at the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall 1970s * Mosaic in the

building (1975) * Cycle: "Entrance to the Garden"( Ulaz u vrt) 1970s * Cycle: "Great scenery" (Veliki krajolik). 1970s * "Testament for Epetion" (Zavjet za Epetion) 1984 * Cycle: "Eyes of Fear" (1981–1984) * Cycle: "Fires" (Požari ) 1985-1990 includes works such as "vineyard" (Vinograd ), "Cypresses" Čempresi (1986.), "Landscape with three suns" Krajolik s tri sunca (1989.), "Mediterranean Garden" Mediteranski vrt (1990). * Cycle: "Rat" (War) 1990s

Exhibitions

During his lifetime, Murtić held over 150 solo exhibitions and participated in around 300 group exhibitions on all continents. A selection of the more recent and/or major exhibitions are listed here.

Solo

* 2010 "From the Murtić Donation" -

* 2010 "War" - Art Pavilion in Zagreb * 2009 Art pavilion Juraj Matija Sporer, Opatija * 2005 Art Pavilion in Zagreb * 2004 Kroatische Malerei des 20. Jahrhunderts - Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna * 2003 Retrospective Exhibition

Modern Gallery, Zagreb Modern Gallery (; since 2021 the National Museum of Modern Art, ) is a museum in Zagreb, Croatia that holds the most important and comprehensive collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings by 19th and 20th century Croatian artists. The colle ...

* 2003 Lissone near Milan; Palace Harrach in Vienna * 2002 Edo Murtić: Paintings 2001-2001 and Ceramics 2001 - Glyptotheque - Sculpture Museum, Zagreb; Edo Murtić: Novi Manjež Gallery in Moscow * 2000 Museo Revoltella, Trieste * 1998 Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik * 1998 "Montraker" - Art Pavilion in Zagreb * 1966 Gallery of Fine Arts, Split (Galerija Umjetnina), Split

Group

* 2009 Da Hartung a Warhol. Presenze internazionali nella collezione Cozzani. Opere dalle raccolte del CAMeC - CAMeC - Centro de Arte Moderna e Contemporanea della Spezia, La Spezia. * 2008 From the holdings of the museum - Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik * 2007 Avangardne tendencije u Hrvatskoj - Galerija Klovićevi dvori, Zagreb * 2007 Sammlung Politeo - Art Center Berlin Friedrichstrasse, Berlin * 2006 Croatian Collection - Museum of Contemporary Art Skopje, Skopje * 2004 AVANGUARDIE STORICHE E ASTRAZIONE - Importanti opere su carta del XX secolo - Galleria Torbandena, Trieste * 2003 New Year Art Fair - Galerija Zona, Zagreb * 1999 23rd International Biennial of Graphic Arts - Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana * 1999 Grands et Jeunes d`Aujourd Hui 1958-1998 - Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik * 1989 18th International Biennial of Graphic Arts - Ljubljana * 1958 Venice Bienniale

Galleries/Dealers

* Croatia: Galerija Kaptol, Zagreb * Germany: 418 Gallery, Munich * Italy: Galleria Torbandena, Trieste * Romania: 418 Gallery, Cetate

Public Collections

* Croatia: City of Zagreb * Croatia: Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik * Croatia: Gallery of Fine Arts / Galerija likovnih umjetnosti, Osijek, Osijek * Croatia: MMSU - Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Rijeka, Rijeka * Croatia: Rovinj Heritage Museum, Rovinj * Croatia: Galerija Umjetnina Split, Split * Croatia: Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb MSU (Muzej Suvremene Umjetnosti ) * Italy: CAMeC - Centro de Arte Moderna e Contemporanea della Spezia, La Spezia * Macedonia (F.Y.R.M.): Museum of Contemporary Art Skopje, Skopje * Serbia: Poklon zbirka Rajka Mamuzića, Novi Sad * Slovenia: Galerija Murska Sobota, Murska Sobota * Slovenia: Mednarodni grafični likovni center, Ljubljana * United Kingdom: Tate Gallery, London * USA: MoMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York City, NY

References

External links

Edo Murtić - official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murtic, Edo 1921 births 2005 deaths Croatian abstract painters Muralists People from Velika Pisanica Abstract expressionist artists Vladimir Nazor Award winners Members of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb alumni Croatian artists Burials at Mirogoj Cemetery 20th-century Croatian painters Croatian male painters Yugoslav painters 20th-century Croatian male artists