Leon Koen

Leon Koen (1859–1934) was a Serbian painter.[1] Despite participating in major exhibitions, only a fraction of his works are known to survive.

Leon Koen
A photo of Koen
Born1859
Belgrade, Austrian Empire
Died1934
Vršac, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (aged 75)
NationalitySerbian
MovementSymbolism
AwardsSilver medal for painting by the Munich Academy of Fine Arts

Biography

Leon Koen was born to a Sephardic family of merchants Aaron and mother Sarah, in Belgrade, Principality of Serbia.[2] In 1884, he enrolled in a preparatory course at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts, and the following year he received a state scholarship from Kingdom of Serbia and enrolled in the Academy, whose alumni include Đorđe Krstić and Stevan Aleksić.[3]

In 1889 he exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, and six years later at the Venice Biennale.[4] In 1896 he was awarded the silver medal for painting "Joseph's Dream" by the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.[2]

Spring by Koen, 1902, National Museum of Serbia

Koen survived a nervous breakdown in 1902 and was placed in a mental hospital in Belgrade, where he was under constant psychiatric supervision until his death. The deterioration of his mental health forced his wife, Josephine Simon, to sell most of his paintings. Koen's close friend, David Pijade, collected his paintings for a major retrospective that took place in 1926 at King Peter's School near St. Michael's Cathedral in Belgrade.[5] He frequently painted works inspired by history of Serbia and nature.[6]

One year after Koen's death a grand retrospective was held at the Cvijeta Zuzorić Art Pavilion in Kalemegdan.[7] The exhibition featured 63 works.[8]

He was in correspondence and associated with Nadežda Petrović, Vasily Kandinsky and Franz Stuck.[8] Koen's work was praised by fellow painter Đorđe Krstić.[9] Only fifteen of Koen's paintings survive.[8] Most of his painting were lost or destroyed during the Second World War. Twelve surviving works are in the collection of the National Museum of Serbia, and two more are owned by The Federation of Jewish Communities of Serbia.[10]

References
  1. Fragile Images: Jews and Art in Yugoslavia, 1918-1945 - Mirjam Rajner - Google Books
  2. Gajic, Vesna (Adic). "The Tragic Story of Leon Koen, the First Sephardi Painter from Belgrade: A Symbolist and Admirer of Nietzsche". Ars Judaica, Volume 5: The Bar-Ilan Journal of Jewish Art.
  3. Минхенска школа и српско сликарство - Jovan Sekulić - Google Books
  4. "Arte - Leon Koen - Biografija". www.arte.rs. Retrieved 2020-04-15.
  5. Fragile Images: Jews and Art in Yugoslavia, 1918-1945 - Mirjam Rajner - Google Books
  6. "Koen Leon - EL MUNDO SEFARAD". elmundosefarad.wikidot.com. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  7. The Symbolist Roots of Modern Art - Google Books
  8. Kovačević, Piše: Siniša. "Zaboravljeni slikar Leon Koen". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  9. Milosević, Mihailo B. (1995). Јевреји За Слободу Србије: 1912-1918. Ф. Вишњић. ISBN 978-86-7363-151-6.
  10. Đurić, Olivera. "Slikar Leon Koen (1859-1934)" (PDF). Belgrade: 124. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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