Uroš Knežević
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Uroš Knežević ( sr-cyr, Урош Кнежевић; 2 January 1811 – 21 October 1876) was a Serbian painter. Knežević is best-known as portraitist, having produced more than 200 portraits, mostly of notable people of his time.


Life

He was born in
Sremski Karlovci Sremski Karlovci ( sr-Cyrl, Сремски Карловци, ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka Districtautonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the banks of the Danube, from Novi Sad. According to the 202 ...
to father Teodor and mother Julijana. Even though he spent most of his life in Serbia, there is very little information about his life. About his first years of education the artist himself wrote that he had enjoyed drawing even as a child and that he felt thoroughly devoted to drawing. He first studied drawing at the Karlovci Gymnasium. He transfers from
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
to
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
in 1834, where he actively practices painting until 1844. His work was essential in introducing art to
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
and educating the local population in art appreciation. During his time in
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
he supported himself by painting portraits of the local nobility and prominent citizens. However, the local population was still quite unwelcoming of the art, and the portrait fees were often not paid. This made it difficult for Knežević to earn enough to support himself, let alone to save enough for his education in
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
. Even the royal family refused to pay for the many portraits, coats of arms and other symbols that Knežević made for them. Finally, he found well-paying work in painting walls and icons for
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 ...
churches. This enabled him to save enough to study in
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
. About his stay in
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
he writes that it was a very happy time of his life, and he was the happiest when his work was recognized by being exhibited in the Viennese Art Exhibition of 1846. However, the Viennese Royal Art Academy does not even have a record of his name among the students. Some sources indicate that Knežević also painted the portraits of Vuk Stefanović Karadžić (Serbian linguist and reformer of the
Serbian language Serbian (, ) is the standard language, standardized Variety (linguistics)#Standard varieties, variety of the Serbo-Croatian language mainly used by Serbs. It is the official and national language of Serbia, one of the three official languages of ...
) and his family, apart from the military, civic and political leadership. According to the portraits made by Knežević, it can be concluded that Serbian leaders tended towards modernization; hence their portraits with remarkably luxurious clothes; golden braided and richly embroidered. In 1871 Knežević became sick and started working less. He is considered one of the foremost Serbian portraitist of the nineteenth century.


Gallery

File:Вук Стефановић Караџић.1846.jpg, ''Portrait of Vuk Stefanović Karadžić'', 1846 File:Stevan Knićanin, Uroš Knežević.jpg, ''Portrait of Stevan Knićanin'', 1849 File:Uroš Knežević - Karađorđe, 1852.jpg, ''Portrait of
Karađorđe Petrović Đorđe Petrović (; ;  – ), known by the sobriquet Karađorđe (; ), was a Serbian revolutionary leader who led a struggle against the Ottoman Empire during the First Serbian Uprising. He held the title of Grand Vožd of Serbia from 14 ...
'', 1852 File:Jelena Karađorđević.jpg, ''Portrait of Jelena Karađorđević'', 1850 File:PrinceAlexander I w.jpg, ''Portrait of Alexander Karađorđević, Prince of Serbia'' File:Sima Nenadović 01.jpg, ''Portrait of Sima Nenadović'', 1850 File:Jakov Nenadović 01.jpg, ''Portrait of Jakov Nenadović'', 1850 File:Veljko Petrović.jpg, ''Portrait of Hajduk Veljko'', 1852 File:Janićije Đurić.jpg, ''Portrait of Janićije Đurić'', 1852-1855 File:Кнегиња Персида Карађорђевић (1813-1873).jpg, ''Portrait of Persida Nenadović'', 1855 File:Uzun-Mirko Apostolović, Uroš Knežević.jpg, '' Uzun-Mirko Apostolović'', 1865 File:Uroš Knežević, Cincar-Janko.jpg, ''Portrait of Cincar-Janko Popović''


References

''Note: adapted from Serbian Wikipedia''


External links

*http://www.arte.rs/sr/umetnici/uros_knezevic-3942/opus/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Knezevic, Uros Serbian painters 1811 births 1876 deaths 19th-century Serbian people Romantic painters People from Sremski Karlovci Painters from the Austrian Empire