Mikuláš Galanda

Mikuláš Galanda (* March 4, 1895, Mala Vieska near Turčianske Teplice – June 5, 1938, Bratislava) was a renowned painter, illustrator, and one of the most important pioneers and propagators of Slovak modern art. He is buried in the National Cemetery in Martin.

Mother and child, 1934

Education

• 1914-1916 Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest
• 1922 Artistic and Industrial School in Prague (Prof. V. H. Brunner)
• 1923-1927 Academy of Fine Arts in Prague (Prof. Bromse, F. Thiele)

Style

Mother, 1937

In all his work, he strove to formulate the Slovakian artistic modernism on the basis of achievements in the development of European painting. He was inclined towards expressionist and cubist trends, and created his own form of painting on this basis. From the very beginning of his career he was oriented more into graphics but lately he decided for paintwork. His thought was oriented towards domestic content, associated with the Slovak landscape and people. He was considered to be a lyric painter of female beauty and charm. His whole masterpiece is predominated with melancholy while happiness is being repressed.

Biographical facts

• 1924-1926 M. Galanda was the first graphical editor for Dav magazine
• 1928 Got the approval to teach drawing; in Prague he met Maria Boudova, his future wife
• 1929 Moved to Bratislava and started to teach at 1st girls' town school
• 1929-1932 Sharing an atelier together with L. Fulla situated in 5, Trnavska street in Bratislava
• 1930 Working as teacher at 2nd boys' school and at School of handcrafts in Bratislava; joined Umelecka beseda slovenska; in autumn went to Paris, exhibition in Kraków
• 1930-1932 Together with L. Fulla they released 4 issues of their Private Letters, in which they had been talking over new progressive opinions in fine arts and its function in modern society
• 1931 Got married Maria Boudova
• 1933 Became a professor at School of handcrafts in Bratislava; won Krajinska cena M. R. Štefánika
• 1935 Exhibitions in Siena Elanu, Prague
• 1936 Holiday in Zdiar; Bienale in Venice
• 1937 World exhibition in Paris, he won a Silver Medal for inventive art genre - illustrations and book designs; exhibitions in Moscow
• 1938 Participation at Exhibition of Slovak Art in New York - had signed manifesto: 300 cultural, artistic, scientific and religious representatives "Verní zostaneme!(Forever faithful!)" as the protest against ČSR separation
• 1991 All time exhibition was opened in his hometown Turcianske Teplice