Vladimir Becić

Vladimir Becić (1886-1954) studied law in Zagreb and at the same time attended classes in private school of famous Croatian painters Menci Klement Crnčić and Bela Čikoš Sesija. He soon left the study and enrolled Munich Academy. Along with his compatriots Josip Račić, Miroslav Kraljević and Oskar Herman they formed what was later known as “Munich circle”. They were a group of Croatian painters from Hugo von Habermann class, which had a new and modern stand toward art.

In his middle period Becić became interested in Cezannesque tradition. He put more emphasis on geometric stylization of  forms which later evolved into his idiosyncratic take of neoclassicism. Changes like those were not rare in the Becić’s oeuvre, but most art historians agree that Becić’s early years (after graduating from Munich Academy) remain a period of particular importance.

This is one of my favourite Becić’s paintings – still life from 1909

Becić was from the very beginning focused on form, but nevertheless he did not sacrificed lyricism for the sake of clarity. Pay attention to this nude from 1906.   (click for enlargement)

On the right is his portrait of  painter Miroslav Kraljevic (1908), his friend and fellow student from the class of Hugo von Habermann.

Girl with a Doll, 1947 – this is an example of Becić’s late period