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

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

from

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

, best known for his

lyrical abstraction Lyrical abstraction is either of two related but distinct trends in Post-war Modernist painting: ''European Abstraction Lyrique'' born in Paris, the French art critic Jean José Marchand being credited with coining its name in 1947, considered ...

and

abstract expressionism Abstract expressionism is a post–World War II art movement in American painting, developed in New York City in the 1940s. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence and put New York at the center of the ...

style. He worked in a variety of media, including

oil painting Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments with a medium of drying oil as the binder. It has been the most common technique for artistic painting on wood panel or canvas for several centuries, spreading from Europe to the rest ...

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. Gouache ...

, graphic design,

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, porcelain, ...

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, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

mural A mural is any piece of 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'' is a Spani ...

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 the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic co ...

: the

Venice Biennale The Venice Biennale (; it, La Biennale di Venezia) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy by the Biennale Foundation. The biennale has been organised every year since 1895, which makes it the oldest of ...

, 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, to ...

in Pittsburgh, and

Documenta ''documenta'' is an exhibition of contemporary art which takes place every five years in Kassel, Germany. The ''documenta'' was founded by artist, teacher and curator Arnold Bode in 1955 as part of the Bundesgartenschau (Federal Horticultura ...

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 ( la, Academia Scientiarum et Artium Croatica, hr, Hrvatska akademija znanosti i umjetnosti, abbrev. HAZU) is the national academy of Croatia. HAZU was founded under patronage of the Croatian bishop Jo ...

, and a member of the Croatian

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights The Helsinki Committees for Human Rights exist in many European countries (the OSCE region) as volunteer, non-profit organizations devoted to human rights and presumably named after the Helsinki Accords. Formerly organized into the International ...

Biography

Murtić was born on 4 May 1921 in

Velika Pisanica Velika Pisanica is a village and municipality in Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Croatia. Demographics According to the 2021 census, the population of the municipality was 1,313 with 830 living in the town proper. In 2011, there were 1,781 inhabitants i ...

near

Bjelovar Bjelovar ( hu, Belovár, german: Bellowar, Kajkavian: ''Belovar'') is a city in central Croatia. It is the administrative centre of Bjelovar-Bilogora County. At the 2021 census, there were 36,433 inhabitants, of whom 93.06% were Croats. Histor ...

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

(then in

Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama ...

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

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb stands near the international border between Croatia and Sl ...

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

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 was ...

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 Petar Dobrović ( sr-Cyrl, Петар Добровић; ; 14 January 1890 – 27 January 1942) was a Serbian painter and politician. Biography Dobrović was born in Pécs, Kingdom of Hungary. A proponent of Serbian colorism, he was known for ...

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

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the ...

ideas, and at the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

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 ...

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 Vrsar ( vec, Orsera) is a small seaside town and a municipality in Istria, Croatia located 9 kilometers south of Poreč. The historical center is located on top of a hill, including the St. Martin parish church and the 40-meter high bell tower. I ...

, on the

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian and Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian, Italian and Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic betwee ...

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 refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 B ...

stone quarry. Edo Murtić was a member of the

Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts ( la, Academia Scientiarum et Artium Croatica, hr, Hrvatska akademija znanosti i umjetnosti, abbrev. HAZU) is the national academy of Croatia. HAZU was founded under patronage of the Croatian bishop Jo ...

(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) & 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 is a post–World War II art movement in American painting, developed in New York City in the 1940s. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence and put New York at the center of the ...

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

Lyrical Abstraction Lyrical abstraction is either of two related but distinct trends in Post-war Modernist painting: ''European Abstraction Lyrique'' born in Paris, the French art critic Jean José Marchand being credited with coining its name in 1947, considered ...

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. He was born in Rotterdam and moved to the United States in 1926, becoming an American citizen in 1962. In 1943, he married painter ...

and

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

, and in Europe he saw the work of

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

Alfred Manessier Alfred Manessier (5 December 1911, Saint-Ouen – 1 August 1993, Orléans) was a non-figurative French painter, stained glass artist, and tapestry designer, part of the new School of Paris and the Salon de Mai. Biography Manessier was born am ...

, and

Gustave Singier Gustave Singier (11 February 1909, in Warneton – 5 May 1984, in Paris) was a Belgian 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 G ...

. 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 painting popular in the 1940s and 1950s. The term is said to have been first used with regards to the movement in 19 ...

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 expressionis ...

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 (, hr, Gradsko groblje Mirogoj), also known as Mirogoj Cemetery ( hr, Groblje Mirogoj), is a cemetery park that is considered to be among the more noteworthy landmarks in the city of Zagreb. The cemetery inters members ...

in Zagreb, the Memorial in the Čazma Ossuary, the

Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall ( hr, Koncertna dvorana Vatroslava Lisinskog) 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 wi ...

, 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 antenna ...

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 Lukovdol (part of Vrbovsko), a town in Gorski Kotar, to a Croat father, Ivan Kovačić, and Transylvanian Jewis ...

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 The Art pavillion in Zagreb ( hr, Umjetnički paviljon u Zagrebu) is an art gallery in Zagreb, Croatia. The pavilion is located on the Lenuci Horseshoe, Lower town area of the city, south of Nikola Šubić Zrinski Square, on the northern side o ...

. 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. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humani ...

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 Croatian academic, jurist, and politician who served as President of Croatia from 2010 to 2015. Josipović entered politics as a member of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (SKJ), and played a ke ...

, 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 firs ...

, 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 ( hr, Hrvatska socijalno-liberalna stranka or ...

, Minister of Culture

Božo Biškupić Božo Biškupić (born 26 April 1938 in Mala Mlaka, near Zagreb) is a Croatian politician and lawyer. He served as Minister of Culture of Croatia in the governments of three Croatian Prime Ministers: Zlatko Mateša (1995–2000), Ivo Sanader (2 ...

, 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 ( hr, Muzej suvremene umjetnosti, often abbreviated to MSU) is a contemporary art museum located on Dubrovnik Avenue in Zagreb, Croatia. It is the biggest and most modern museum in the country. History The museum ...

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" -

* 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 ( hr, Moderna galerija; 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 Croati ...

* 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 The Museum of Fine Arts ( hr , Galerija umjetnina), is an art museum in Split, Croatia containing works from the 14th century up to the present day providing an overview of the artistic developments in the local art scene. The museum was founde ...

(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 Abstract painters 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