Artist of the day

Monday, September 7, 2026

Artist of the Day, September 7, 2026 : Miljenko Stančić, a Croatian painter (#2625)

Miljenko Stančić (1926 – 1977) was a seminal Croatian painter and graphic artist whose legacy profoundly shaped mid-century European art. Born in Varaždin, he became celebrated for his atmospheric, melancholic cityscapes of his hometown, which blended elements of magical realism and psychological depth. As a core member of the influential Grupa Petorice (Group of Five) in 1950s Zagreb, Stančić helped steer contemporary art away from rigid socialist realism toward highly personal, expressive freedom.

Beyond the canvas, his professional versatility extended to theater scenography, book illustration, and a distinguished academic career as a full professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb. Recognized with prestigious honors like the Vladimir Nazor Award, his work remains a cornerstone of Croatian cultural heritage. Today, Stančić’s masterful use of light, shadow, and architectural form continues to inspire generations, securing his reputation as a visionary corporate and cultural icon of modern art.

© 2026. All content on this blog is protected by international copyright laws All images are copyrighted © by Miljenko Stančić or assignee. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only

Miljenko Stančić

Metamorfoza II (Metamorphosis II), 1950-60

Djevojka od straga (Girl's Back), 1954

Djevojke u razgovoru (Girls in Conversation), 1954

Kartaši (Card Players), 1954

Krajolik s prugom (Landscape with Railway), 1954

U interijeru (In the Interior), 1954

Crvena haljina (The Red Dress), 1955

Portret Jelice Ferić (Portrait of Jelica Ferić), 1955

Dijete s loptom (A Child With a Ball), 1956

Mrtvo dijete (Dead Child), 1956

Slikar u ateljeu (Painter in the Studio), 1958-59

Majka i dijete za stolom (Mother and Child at the Table), 1960

Muzikaši (The Musicians), 1960

Promenade, 1960

Druženje sa sviračem (Hanging Out with a Musician), 1960-65

Varaždinska veduta (Varaždin Cityscape) 1960-65

ožnja (Ride), 1960-70

Krovovi (Roofs), 1961

Krovovi / Vizura crkve) (Roofs / Church Silhouette), 1961

Varaždinska vizura (Varaždin Skyline), 1962

Varaždinski krovovi (Roofs of Varaždin), 1963

Die Musikstunde (The Music Lesson), 1965

Druženje uz svirača (At the Table with a Musician), 1965

Häuser im Licht (Houses in the Light), 1965

Majka i dijete u fotelji (Mother and Child in an Armchair), 1965

U interijeru s gitaristom (In the Interior with a Guitarist), 1965

Izlet u Sloveniju (Trip to Slovenia), 1966

Peroni (Platforms), 1966

Zeleni krajolik (Green Landscape), 1966

Dječja igra (Children's Play), 1968-69

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Artist of the Day, September 5, 2026 : Francis Criss , an American painter (#2624)

Francis Hyman Criss (1901 - 1973) was a distinguished American painter best recognized for his contributions to the Precisionist movement alongside contemporaries Charles Demuth and Charles Sheeler. His definitive work during the 1930s and 1940s focused on urban infrastructure, transforming skyscrapers, bridges, and elevated subway tracks into streamlined, geometric compositions. By intentional design, these cityscapes lacked human figures and utilized distorted perspectives, creating a compelling, surreal aesthetic.

While a mid-career pivot toward commercial projects—including a notable 1942 cover for Fortune Magazine—temporarily impacted his broader critical standing, his artistic legacy remains firmly secure. Today, his paintings are held in the permanent collections of major cultural institutions, including the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Brooklyn Museum. Notably, his acclaimed piece Alma Sewing, housed at the High Museum of Art, continues to receive contemporary praise as a masterwork of refined technique and structured American realism.

© 2026. All content on this blog is protected by international copyright laws All images are copyrighted © by Francis Criss or assignee. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only