Nikola Nešković (c. 1729 – 1785) was a Serbian religious painter of the 18th century. He is the author of over a thousand works, including many icons, frescos, and portraits. He is the grandfather of
Jovan Sterija Popović.
Biography
Nešković was born in
Požarevac
Požarevac ( sr-cyr, Пожаревац, ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative centre of the Braničevo District in eastern Serbia. It is located between three rivers: Danube, Great Morava and Mlava and below the hill Čač ...
but went on to live and work in the
Habsburg monarchy
The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...
, sent by his father who died in the
Battle of Grocka. As a young student, he was sent by Bishop Jovan (Georgijević) to the art academy in
Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Kiev Monastery of the Caves) and upon his return to Vršac he painted the sanctuary screens (
iconostasis
In Eastern Christianity, an iconostasis () is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a Church (building), church. ''Iconostasis'' also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed anywhere withi ...
) of the court chapels. It is at the court of Bishop Jovan Georgijević in Vršac that Nesković came into prominence. Stored in the court treasury is a collection of portraits of dignitaries, the works of
Teodor Kračun,
Jakov Orfelin, Šerban Popović,
Teodor Ilić Češljar, Konstantin Pantelić, Nedeljko Popović, Nikola Nešković and other trained Serbian painters. This valuable collection has been processed in a catalogue by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments and ''Matica Srpska'' from
Novi Sad
Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
.
Their works are distinguished for refined
Baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
and
Biedermeier styles of the period.
Gallery
File:Poklonjenje kraljeva (Rođenje Hristovo) - Nikola Nešković.jpg, ''Birth of Christ'',
File:Nikola Nešković, Christ’s crucifixion, cca 1780, National Museum of Serbia.jpg, ''Christ's crucifixion'',
File:Nikola Nešković - Bogorodica sa krinom, druga polovina XVIII veka.jpg, ''Virgin Mary with a Lilly'', late 18th century
See also
*
List of painters from Serbia
*
Serbian art
References
External links
Serbian Culture/Portrait
1740 births
1789 deaths
People from Požarevac
18th-century Serbian painters
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