(Vrsac 1859–1957 Vienna) A warrior with a sword, signed Paul Joanowitch, mixed media on paper, 43 x 28 cm, mounted, framed, (BH)

Provenance:
Private collection Vienna.

With a certificate by Dr. Petar Petrovic, Belgrad, 2021

Paja Jovanovic whom was born in the middle of Banat showed great interest for painting at an early age and moved to Vienna at a young age. He studied paining at the Akademie für bildende Künste (Academy of Fine Arts) from 1877 to 1880 and specialised then in history painting, which he studied under Leopold Carl Müller 1880/81. He traveled to Albania, Montenegro, Dalmatia, Bosnia and Herzegowina and to his native country Serbia. In 1883 he participated successfully at an exhibition in London, where the “French Gallery” offered him a contract. Due to his financial success, he could travel extensively to the Caucasus and through large parts of the Balkans. In 1893 he joined the Royal Sedrbian Academy as a corresponding member. Form 1905 on he devoted himself mainly to portrait painting which was clearly influenced by academic realism. Patrons of these works were mainly from a wealthy clientele, including bankers, industrialists and representatives of the international political, artistic or cultural elite.