Neron's singing about the Fire in Hlebine

1975
oil/glass
1200 x 1800 mm
signature: down in the right corner: Josip Generalić: „Neron opijeva jogenj v Hlebinaj“ (1975.)

Hlebine burned like Rome over which there is emperor Nero from Podravina. In the background, burnt village, the houses, the animals and people run away and put out the fire. Symbolic, intense, metaphorical narrative and coloring.

Josip Generalic was born February 19, 1935 in the village Hlebine in Podravina. where he finished elementary school. First works are painted under the influence of his teacher and father, the great Ivan Generalic. His debut was in 1954 in Krizevci. His first solo exhibition was held in the Koprivnica Town Museum in 1959. In 1960 Josip left the native village, Hlebine, and moved to Zagreb where he finished studies of pedagogy. Living in cities put him under urban influences so he creates the cycle of portraits of famous personalities (the Beatles, Sophia Loren, Yul Brynner, Jopplin Janis, John Lennon and others) in Naive Art manner. A few years later, Josip pallete became black. Entering the depths of the human subconscious, he is on the side of human suffering, representing evil and violence. By the early nineties, the black phase has subsided and he returned to the native village. This painter and graphic artist is present in many galleries and many museums and has published a large number of graphical maps. He died 22 December 2004 in Koprivnica.