Koloman Sokol
Encyclopedia
Koloman Sokol was one of the most prominent Slovak
painter
s, graphic artists and illustrator
s. He was a founder of modern Slovak graphic art.
and Gustáv Mallý in Bratislava
, as well as the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague
, where he studied under Max Švabinský
and Tavik Frantisek Simon. In Czechoslovakia, he became a member in the SČUG Hollar, an association of Czechoslovak
graphic artist. Following a brief period of study with František Kupka
in Paris
, he accepted an invitation from the Mexican Ministry of Culture and Education to teach his work. He became a professor of graphic techniques at the Escuela de las Artes del Libro and at the University of Mexico City
from 1937 to 1941.
Between 1942 and 1946 he lived in New York
. In 1946 he returned to Slovakia, where he taught at the Slovak University of Technology
and at the Comenius University. In 1948 (when the Communists took power in Czechoslovakia) he left for the United States again. He settled in Bryn Mawr
, a suburb of Philadelphia. From the 60's he lived retired into himself and created a special symbolical-mythological style during this period. In the 1990s he lived in Tucson, where he died at the age of 100.
, Käthe Kolwitz, George Grosz
, and strongly by the expressionism of the Die Brücke
Group. Initially, he concentrated on graphic techniques, which he later enriched by drawing and painting in Mexico. His paintings are often dramatic in presentation which led to the belief that he created a Slovak variation of expressionism
at a European level. He remained true to the limits of graphic art in terms of form and shape. Artistic, ethnic, and social aspects merge in his work. Although the primary motive of his works was man, social motives dominate his expressive work and this tendency equates to the hard and harsh style of his engravings and drawings. His works frequently depicted suffering, penury and human pain. He also created numerous woodcut
s.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
s, graphic artists and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
s. He was a founder of modern Slovak graphic art.
Biography
Sokol attended the private schools of Eugen Krón in KošiceKošice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
and Gustáv Mallý in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, as well as the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, where he studied under Max Švabinský
Max Švabinský
Max Švabinský was a Czech painter, draughtsman, graphic artist, and professor in Academy of Graphic Arts in Prague. Švabinský is considered to be one of the more notable artists in the history of Czech painting and produced significant work during the first half of the 20th century...
and Tavik Frantisek Simon. In Czechoslovakia, he became a member in the SČUG Hollar, an association of Czechoslovak
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
graphic artist. Following a brief period of study with František Kupka
František Kupka
František Kupka was a Czech painter and graphic artist. He was a pioneer and co-founder of the early phases of the abstract art movement and Orphic cubism...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, he accepted an invitation from the Mexican Ministry of Culture and Education to teach his work. He became a professor of graphic techniques at the Escuela de las Artes del Libro and at the University of Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
from 1937 to 1941.
Between 1942 and 1946 he lived in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In 1946 he returned to Slovakia, where he taught at the Slovak University of Technology
Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava
Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava is the most significant university of technology in Slovakia.- University structure :* Faculty of Civil Engineering* Faculty of Mechanical Engineering...
and at the Comenius University. In 1948 (when the Communists took power in Czechoslovakia) he left for the United States again. He settled in Bryn Mawr
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Bryn Mawr from Welsh for "big hill") is a census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue and the border with Delaware County...
, a suburb of Philadelphia. From the 60's he lived retired into himself and created a special symbolical-mythological style during this period. In the 1990s he lived in Tucson, where he died at the age of 100.
Style
Sokol's work was inspired by Vincent van GoghVincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
, Käthe Kolwitz, George Grosz
George Grosz
Georg Ehrenfried Groß was a German artist known especially for his savagely caricatural drawings of Berlin life in the 1920s...
, and strongly by the expressionism of the Die Brücke
Die Brücke
Die Brücke was a group of German expressionist artists formed in Dresden in 1905, after which the Brücke Museum in Berlin was named. Founding members were Fritz Bleyl, Erich Heckel, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff. Later members were Emil Nolde, Max Pechstein and Otto Mueller...
Group. Initially, he concentrated on graphic techniques, which he later enriched by drawing and painting in Mexico. His paintings are often dramatic in presentation which led to the belief that he created a Slovak variation of expressionism
Expressionism
Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas...
at a European level. He remained true to the limits of graphic art in terms of form and shape. Artistic, ethnic, and social aspects merge in his work. Although the primary motive of his works was man, social motives dominate his expressive work and this tendency equates to the hard and harsh style of his engravings and drawings. His works frequently depicted suffering, penury and human pain. He also created numerous woodcut
Woodcut
Woodcut—occasionally known as xylography—is a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with gouges...
s.
Works
His most important works are:- Za cieľom - baníci (Towards the goal - miners)
- Traja králi (The Three Magi)
- Bača (Shepherd)
- Nárek (Lamentation)
- Nový mexický zákon (New Mexican Act)
- Bitka žien (Women's Fight)
- Matka s dieťaťom (A mother with child)
- Na ceste (On the road)
- Stretnutie (Meeting)
- Odsúdená (Condemned)
- Starý pltník (The old raftsman)
- V ateliéri (In the studio)
- V uličke (In a little street)
External links
- Koloman Sokol (Microsoft Word document)
- Simko, V.: Koloman Sokol: The Life of an Artist in Exile