Dušan Jurkovic
Encyclopedia
Dušan Jurkovič was a Slovak architect
, ethnographer and artist. One of the best-known promoters of Slovak art in 20th century Czechoslovakia
, he is remembered mostly due to his projects of numerous World War I
cemeteries in Galicia. Jurkovič repeatedly stressed: The work of art is rooted in the time. I also have always cautiously listened to its voice."
, to two local folk artists. He graduated from a local school in Sopron
and moved to Vienna, where between 1884 and 1889 he studied at the National School of Industry under Camillo Sitte
. He briefly worked in Martin
, where he became fascinated with folk carpenters and their works in wood. Then he moved to Vsetín
, where he continued his studies at the atelier of Michal Urbanek. Together with his bureau he co-authored the buildings of the 1895 Slavic Fair in Prague
. He also authored numerous other buildings in Bohemia
.
In 1899 he moved to Brno
, where he designed his own house and a new lodging house for the local school. During his stay in Brno he became friends with Jiří Mahen
, Mrštík brothers and Josef Merhaut. Among his best-known designs realized in Brno was a villa in Žabovřesky, combining local folk art with the state-of-the-art modernist
trends of Vienna. He also authored the design of the Society of Friends of Arts building, a distant cousin to Viennese Wiener Werkstätte
and the geometric school. He also prepared a project of reconstruction of the castle in Nové Město nad Metují
.
Mobilized by the Austro-Hungarian Army
during the World War I
, he became one of the most notable members of the War Graves Unit. He authored approximately 35 war cemeteries near Nowy Żmigród
in Galicia
, most of them heavily influenced by local Lemko folk art and carpentry. After the war he returned to newly-founded Czechoslovakia
and settled in Bratislava
. Among the best known of his later works is the tombs of Jozef Miloslav Hurban
and Milan Rastislav Štefánik
, monument to Slovak National Uprising
, and the cable car
station at Lomnický štít
. He died on 21 December 1947.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, ethnographer and artist. One of the best-known promoters of Slovak art in 20th century Czechoslovakia
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...
, he is remembered mostly due to his projects of numerous World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
cemeteries in Galicia. Jurkovič repeatedly stressed: The work of art is rooted in the time. I also have always cautiously listened to its voice."
Biography
Jurkovič was born on 23 August 1886 in Turá LúkaMyjava
Myjava is a town in Trenčín Region, Slovakia.-Geography:It is located in the Myjava Hills at the foothills of the White Carpathians and not far from the Little Carpathians. The river Myjava flows through the town...
, to two local folk artists. He graduated from a local school in Sopron
Sopron
In 1910 Sopron had 33,932 inhabitants . Religions: 64.1% Roman Catholic, 27.8% Lutheran, 6.6% Jewish, 1.2% Calvinist, 0.3% other. In 2001 the city had 56,125 inhabitants...
and moved to Vienna, where between 1884 and 1889 he studied at the National School of Industry under Camillo Sitte
Camillo Sitte
Camillo Sitte was a noted Austrian architect, painter and city planning theoretician with great influence and authority of the development of urban construction planning and regulation in Europe.- Life :...
. He briefly worked in Martin
Martin, Slovakia
Martin is a city in northern Slovakia, situated on the Turiec river, between the Malá Fatra and Veľká Fatra mountains, near the city of Žilina. The population numbers approximately 58,000, which makes it the eighth largest city in Slovakia...
, where he became fascinated with folk carpenters and their works in wood. Then he moved to Vsetín
Vsetín
Vsetín is a town in Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 28,500 inhabitants and lies on the Vsetínská Bečva river.The area around Vsetín, called Vsetínsko, is spread out on the foothills of the Vsetín, Hostýn and Vizovice Highlands around the Bečva River...
, where he continued his studies at the atelier of Michal Urbanek. Together with his bureau he co-authored the buildings of the 1895 Slavic Fair 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...
. He also authored numerous other buildings in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
.
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, where he designed his own house and a new lodging house for the local school. During his stay in Brno he became friends with Jiří Mahen
Jirí Mahen
Jiří Mahen was a Czech novelist, playwright and essayist.- Life :He was born Antonín Vančura, in Čáslav, to an old noble family of the Moravian Brethren faith. In his grammar-school years he became an anarchist. He later studied linguistics of the Czech and German languages at Prague University...
, Mrštík brothers and Josef Merhaut. Among his best-known designs realized in Brno was a villa in Žabovřesky, combining local folk art with the state-of-the-art modernist
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
trends of Vienna. He also authored the design of the Society of Friends of Arts building, a distant cousin to Viennese Wiener Werkstätte
Wiener Werkstätte
Established in 1903, the Wiener Werkstätte was a production community of visual artists. The workshop brought together architects, artists and designers whose first commitment was to design art which would be accessible to everyone...
and the geometric school. He also prepared a project of reconstruction of the castle in Nové Město nad Metují
Nové Mesto nad Metují
Nové Město nad Metují is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It had 10049 inhabitants in January 2007. The Metuje River flows through the town.Nové Město nad Metují was founded by Jan Černčický of Kácov in 1501....
.
Mobilized by the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
during the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he became one of the most notable members of the War Graves Unit. He authored approximately 35 war cemeteries near Nowy Żmigród
Nowy Zmigród
Nowy Żmigród, until 1946 Żmigród , is a village and rural municipality in Jasło County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland, WNW of Dukla and south of Jasło....
in Galicia
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria was a crownland of the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian Empire, and Austria–Hungary from 1772 to 1918 .This historical region in eastern Central Europe is currently divided between Poland and Ukraine...
, most of them heavily influenced by local Lemko folk art and carpentry. After the war he returned to newly-founded Czechoslovakia
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...
and settled 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...
. Among the best known of his later works is the tombs of Jozef Miloslav Hurban
Jozef Miloslav Hurban
Jozef Miloslav Hurban , pseudonyms Slavomil F. Kořennatý, Ľudovít Pavlovič, M. z Bohuslavíc, M...
and Milan Rastislav Štefánik
Milan Rastislav Štefánik
Milan Rastislav Štefánik , Kingdom of Hungary – May 4, 1919 in Ivanka pri Dunaji, Czechoslovakia) was a Slovak politician, diplomat, and astronomer. During World War I, he was General of the French Army, at the same time the Czechoslovak Minister of War, one of the leading members of the...
, monument to Slovak National Uprising
Slovak National Uprising
The Slovak National Uprising or 1944 Uprising was an armed insurrection organized by the Slovak resistance movement during World War II. It was launched on August 29 1944 from Banská Bystrica in an attempt to overthrow the collaborationist Slovak State of Jozef Tiso...
, and the cable car
Cable car
A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems.-Aerial lift:Aerial lifts where the vehicle is suspended in the air from a cable:...
station at Lomnický štít
Lomnický štít
Lomnický štít is one of the highest and most visited mountain peaks in the High Tatras mountains of Slovakia. Connected by cable car to Tatranská Lomnica, its summit is 2634 metres above sea level, making it the second highest peak in the High Tatras after Gerlachovský štít.The first ascent was...
. He died on 21 December 1947.