Fran Tratnik (1881 - 1957)

Tratnik was born on 11 June 1881 in Potok ob Dreti (near Mozirje) and died on 10 April 1957 in Ljubljana. He studied painting at the art academies in Prague (1899-1901 and 1905-1907, Professors J. Roubalik, E. Halmann; postgraduate studies in the class of V. Brožik and later H. Schwaiger), Vienna (1902-1903, Prof. A. Deluge; ties with the Vesna movement) and Munich (1903-1905, Professors K. Marr, A. Janck; here he came into contact with the Ažbe circle). He graduated in Prague in 1917. From 1909 on he was a member of Manes, the Czech art society. He earned his living as an illustrator of Czech and German literary and satirical newspapers (from 1907 to 1909 he lived in Munich and from 1909 to 1912 in Prague). Due to poor health, he moved to Bilje near Gorizia in 1912, from where he moved to Ljubljana in 1914 due to the war. Here he was appointed art consultant to the education department of the regional government. From 1926 to 1947 he worked as a restorer of the art collection of the National Museum in Ljubljana. In 1952 he received the Prešeren Award for Life Achievements. His opus encompasses drawings (social themes, satire) and paintings (after he moved to Ljubljana, numerous portraits). He also wrote aphorisms on art.

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