Ambroz Testen Explained

Ambroz Janez Tasten
Birth Date:31 August 1897
Birth Place:Loka pri Mengšu, Kamnik, Slovenia
Death Date:7 January 1984
Death Place:Zadar, Croatia
Nationality:Slovene
Notable Works:Dvije duše razgovaraju (Two souls talking)
Križni put (Stations of the Cross)
Style:watercolor painting
Movement:expressionism

Ambroz Janez Testen (31 August 1897  - 7 January 1984) was franciscan and Croatian expressionistic painter of Slovenian descent.[1]

He was born in village Loka pri Mengšu near Kamnik in northern Slovenia. He moved to Croatia as a teenager to become a Franciscan. His monk name was Benedict.[2]

Before World War I he lived in a monastery on Košljun, a tiny island near Krk. He fought on Italian Front in Tirol and Duchy of Styria.[2] After World War I, in 1920, he deserted and escape to Dubrovnik where he took the name Ambroz.[3]

He lived two years in Cavtat monastery, where he learned painting from Vlaho Bukovac, famous Croatian painter who had his workroom there.[3] [2]

He also learned watercolor painting from Maksimilijan Vanka. In 1929 he moved to Pelješac, where he got to know Celestin Medović.[2]

From 1939 to 1961 he lived in a monastery on island Krapanj then in St.Bernardine monastery in Kampor on island Rab where he painted a lot of his famous works. Since 1989. there is a permanent exhibition of his works there. After World War II, he shortly lived in Šibenik.

He died in Zadar on 7 January 1984.[4]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.slovenci.hr/article/read/18-12-2013-u-19-h-slovenski-dom-izlozba-slika-fra-janka-ambroza-testena Slovenci.hr - council of Slovenes of Croatia
  2. Vladimir Lončarević, Udivljenje vjerom Ambroza Testena, catholic week magazine Glas Koncila, no. 21 (2187), 21 July 2016, p. 21
  3. http://www.enciklopedija.hr/natuknica.aspx?id=61033 Croatian Encyclopedia online
  4. http://www.akademija-art.hr/component/content/article/129-panorama-u-2011-godini/1007-slikar-i-galerija-testen www.akademija-art.hr