Hlebine Art School: First, Second & Third Generation

The collection of Naive Art is situated in the Gallery of
Naive Art in Hlebine - at the source of the phenomenon of so-called Hlebine
School. This School doesn't presumpt a systematic education but an
occasional  encounters of Krsto Hegedusic
with Ivan Generalic and Franjo Mraz. The Second generation is represented by the works
which discover the richness and diversity of inspiration - from the realist
tendency to inflame the imagination and enchantment that sometimes exceeds  to the grotesque and burlesque forms. Third
generation will look up to Ivan Generalic and authors of the Second
generation.   

Potter in the Village (1939) by Mirko ViriusKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

First Generation: the 1930's

Ivan Generalic, Franjo Mraz, Mirko Virius. Occasional encounters with Krsto Hegedusic. He discovers them the oil on glass technique and encourages them to represent authentic primitive rural environment, peasants in their everyday life, work and customs,realistic, without idylic elements.

Funeral gathering, Franjo Mraz, 1940, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Levača Village - Markita's shelter, Franjo Mraz, 1934, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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By the Bridge (1932) by Franjo MrazKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

First generation (Ivan Generalic, Franjo Mraz and Mirko Virius) paints what they see , the everyday rural life, local reality local, primitive surroundings, people and customs.

Peasant Poet, Franjo Mraz, 1940, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Self-portrait, Mirko Virius, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Precise physical and psychological characterization.

The Procession, Mirko Virius, 1937, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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The usual procession dedicated to a certain saint

Potter in the Village (1939) by Mirko ViriusKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Documenting time without idealizing. Mirko Virius criticizes the miserable position of peasants fighting for justice.

The Reapers, Mirko Virius, 1937, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Gliboki, Mirko Virius, 1939, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Vineyards, Mirko Virius, 1938, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Vineyards, Mirko Virius, 1939, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Farmyard (1938) by Mirko ViriusKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Village & Industry, Mirko Virius, 1938, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Soldiers and a Peasant (1937) by Mirko ViriusKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

A Portrait, Mirko Virius, 1939, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Rural House in Podravina (1954) by Mijo KovacicKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Harvest (1954) by Mijo KovacicKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Second Generation: around 1940's, 1950's

Dragan Gazi, Ivan Vecenaj, Mijo Kovacic, Franjo Filipovic, Martin Mehkek... "Role models" and advisors: Ivan Generalic and Krsto Hegedusic. In 1950's Ivan Generalic has achieved worldwide success and advised his fellow villagers. Naive Art has started extending beyond Hlebine, across the Podravina region. Innovations: biblical themes, aromatised landscapes, grotesque and burlesque, imaginative scenes

Winter (1969) by Ivan VecenajKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Recurrences of folk collective story and imagination. The symbolic use of color - an aggressive, intense color.

Corn extermination, Ivan Vecenaj, 1954, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Drying Hay, Mijo Kovačić, 1954, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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The Tilth, Mijo Kovacic, 1954, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Harvest (1954) by Mijo KovacicKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Mijo Kovačic presents a typical farm work in warm colors. Early work with the note of later meticulously detailed approach to the painting elements.

Cottage in a Vineyard, Dragan Gazi, 1972, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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By the Stand, Dragan Gazi, 1954, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Dragan Gazi continues realist tendencies.

At the End (1966) by Dragan GaziKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Master of portrait. Besides capturing physiognomy he seeks the essence of the character of the person. He is interested in expressive, not conventionally beauty.

Harvesting Vineyard (1950) by Franjo FilipovicKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Stylized representation of a typical daily life of archaic patriarchal village

The Farmyard, Franjo Filipovic, 1946, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Winter (1968) by Ivan LackovicKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Third Generation: from 1960's

Franjo Vujcec, Ivan Lackovic, Stjepan Vecenaj, Milan Generalic... Ivan Generalic and the authors of the Second generation affect these authors. Some paint by recollection because they don't live in the countryside anymore while others rise grotesque and burlesque to the maximum level.

Crazy Jaga (1975) by Josip GeneralicKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Stopped TIme, Josip Generalic, 1978, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Neron's singing about the Fire in Hlebine (1975) by Josip GeneralicKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

In 1970's Josip Generalic puts pop stars or ancient emperors in landscape of Podravina region. A compound of tradition and modernity. Demythologisation of representation.

Fisherman, Josip Generalic, 1969, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Return from the Field (1969) by Milan GeneralicKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Cutting Cabbage, Martin Mehkek, 1969, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Gypsy Joy (1969) by Martin MehkekKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

The most common image typified portraits of gypsies or servant. Expressive figuration, powerful distortion. By expressing "antibeautiness" goes beyond frames of Hlebine School.

Flood, Martin Mehkek, 1964, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Adam & Eve's First Encounter, Stjepan Vecenaj, 1968, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Winter, Ivan Lackovic, 1968, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Autumn (1988) by Ivan LackovicKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Master of contemporary figurative drawing. He lived in Zagreb and pictured from memory. Landscapes reflect lyricism, idyllic, they are soul psychograms. Tenderness, kindness, harmony, peace. Everything is generalized and supra-individual.

Crucifixion, Nada Svegovic Budaj, 1984, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Grandma praying Rosary (1962) by Franjo VujcecKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Franjo Vujcec leads grotesque to the maximum. Burlesque, deformation, aggressive and expressive colors.

Still Life, Franjo Vujcec, 1969, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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The Will (1969) by Mijo GradecakKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Old fashioned wedding in Novigrad Podravski (1970) by Mara Puskaric-PetrasKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Woman in a Natiional Costume, Mara Puškaric, 1973, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Tower in Novigrad Podravski, Mara Puskaric-Petras, 1975, From the collection of: Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
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Her part of the World (1978) by Martin KopricanecKoprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine

Credits: Story

Curator of the exhibition: Helena Kusenic, curator, Koprivnica Town Museum - Gallery of Naive Art, Hlebine
Photographs: Marijan Jakupec, Vlatko Lackovic, Tina Antolic

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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