Ivan Joko Knežević

Josip Depolo’s Ivan Joko Knežević surveys the work of an artist associated with the Split art scene, whose output encompasses painting, drawing, printmaking, mosaics, frescoes and sculpture. An introductory study and reproductions connect his artistic development with biographical information, exhibition history and records of his private life.

Knežević’s painting evolved from portraits, still lifes and landscapes towards an increasingly personal interpretation of his native Dalmatia. Post-Impressionist and Expressionist influences meet in his work, with stone, rocks and the structure of the landscape assuming a central role. Broad brushstrokes, rhythmic areas of colour and simplified forms transform familiar scenery into compositions of considerable expressive force.

The range of techniques reveals an artist interested in the possibilities of different materials and forms. Alongside oils, watercolours, drawings and prints, his work includes mosaics, notably a series of portraits, as well as marquetry, tapestries, frescoes and sculpture. This variety demonstrates the breadth of his interests and the connections between his painting and other visual arts.

The volume includes a biography, an exhibition list and a bibliography of writings about the artist. Photographs from his private life add a personal dimension to the survey. It offers readers an introduction to Knežević’s varied output and a useful resource for exploring Croatian painting and the artistic culture of Dalmatia.