Framed oil impressionist painting on wooden board of Ljubljana, signed Rajko Slapernik
A stunning framed oil painting on wooden board of Ljubljana, Slovenia, as seen from Cekinov Castle, now the Museum of Contemporary History, on Tivoli Hill, by eminent Slovenian impressionist artist Rajko Slapernik (1896-1975).
I immediately recognised this piece as something special; that it had been created with a great deal of skill by a master of the impressionist tradition. Researching this piece took me down an exciting rabbit hole that fully engaged my passion for history, travel, and of course vintage art. The indecipherable signature on the bottom right corner was not much of a clue, but luckily the distinctive subject, particularly the castle in the background and the conspicuous brutalist-style buildings in the middle ground, led me to research former Socialist European cities with castles on hills. This search then inevitably brought me to the city of Ljubljana and Ljubljana Castle.
With all fingers crossed, I contacted the National Gallery of Slovenia to see if they could assist. Sure enough, a knowledgable archiver from the National Gallery promptly replied, providing me with the final and most important pieces of this puzzle. According to the National Gallery, this piece was painted by Slovenian impressionist painter Rajko Slapernik (1896-1975), who studied fine art in Ljubljana, Vienna, Munich, and Paris between the two World Wars. After WWII, Slapernik founded and ran the Ivan Rob painting school, and worked for a time as a restorer at the Institute for Monument Protection in Ljubljana. The National Gallery were also able to date this piece to around 1965, based on the fact that the Metalka tower block, completed in 1963, is recognisable on the left, but the tower blocks of the Trg Republike complex are not yet present.
This stunning piece is bursting with history and it was a true honour researching it and its creator. It is in excellent vintage condition, and measures 65 cm x 49 cm including the original frame, and 57 cm x 40 cm without the frame.
A stunning framed oil painting on wooden board of Ljubljana, Slovenia, as seen from Cekinov Castle, now the Museum of Contemporary History, on Tivoli Hill, by eminent Slovenian impressionist artist Rajko Slapernik (1896-1975).
I immediately recognised this piece as something special; that it had been created with a great deal of skill by a master of the impressionist tradition. Researching this piece took me down an exciting rabbit hole that fully engaged my passion for history, travel, and of course vintage art. The indecipherable signature on the bottom right corner was not much of a clue, but luckily the distinctive subject, particularly the castle in the background and the conspicuous brutalist-style buildings in the middle ground, led me to research former Socialist European cities with castles on hills. This search then inevitably brought me to the city of Ljubljana and Ljubljana Castle.
With all fingers crossed, I contacted the National Gallery of Slovenia to see if they could assist. Sure enough, a knowledgable archiver from the National Gallery promptly replied, providing me with the final and most important pieces of this puzzle. According to the National Gallery, this piece was painted by Slovenian impressionist painter Rajko Slapernik (1896-1975), who studied fine art in Ljubljana, Vienna, Munich, and Paris between the two World Wars. After WWII, Slapernik founded and ran the Ivan Rob painting school, and worked for a time as a restorer at the Institute for Monument Protection in Ljubljana. The National Gallery were also able to date this piece to around 1965, based on the fact that the Metalka tower block, completed in 1963, is recognisable on the left, but the tower blocks of the Trg Republike complex are not yet present.
This stunning piece is bursting with history and it was a true honour researching it and its creator. It is in excellent vintage condition, and measures 65 cm x 49 cm including the original frame, and 57 cm x 40 cm without the frame.
A stunning framed oil painting on wooden board of Ljubljana, Slovenia, as seen from Cekinov Castle, now the Museum of Contemporary History, on Tivoli Hill, by eminent Slovenian impressionist artist Rajko Slapernik (1896-1975).
I immediately recognised this piece as something special; that it had been created with a great deal of skill by a master of the impressionist tradition. Researching this piece took me down an exciting rabbit hole that fully engaged my passion for history, travel, and of course vintage art. The indecipherable signature on the bottom right corner was not much of a clue, but luckily the distinctive subject, particularly the castle in the background and the conspicuous brutalist-style buildings in the middle ground, led me to research former Socialist European cities with castles on hills. This search then inevitably brought me to the city of Ljubljana and Ljubljana Castle.
With all fingers crossed, I contacted the National Gallery of Slovenia to see if they could assist. Sure enough, a knowledgable archiver from the National Gallery promptly replied, providing me with the final and most important pieces of this puzzle. According to the National Gallery, this piece was painted by Slovenian impressionist painter Rajko Slapernik (1896-1975), who studied fine art in Ljubljana, Vienna, Munich, and Paris between the two World Wars. After WWII, Slapernik founded and ran the Ivan Rob painting school, and worked for a time as a restorer at the Institute for Monument Protection in Ljubljana. The National Gallery were also able to date this piece to around 1965, based on the fact that the Metalka tower block, completed in 1963, is recognisable on the left, but the tower blocks of the Trg Republike complex are not yet present.
This stunning piece is bursting with history and it was a true honour researching it and its creator. It is in excellent vintage condition, and measures 65 cm x 49 cm including the original frame, and 57 cm x 40 cm without the frame.
Dimensions: Measures
Condition: Excellent vintage condition.