Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21857/90836c2q8y
Matko Peić in archival holdings of Požega Archives
Zdeslav Španiček
; Državni arhiv u Slavonskom Brodu-Odjel u Požegi, Požega, Hrvatska
Abstract
Matko Peić (1923-1999) is one of the most representative Croatian artists of the 20th century. Academic painter, art historian, writer and travel writer, researcher and journalist; he was extremely versatile and knowledgeable. To truly get to know one of the most significant Požega residents of the previous century, it is necessary to get to know his personal formation.
From archival sources, we cannot obtain complete information that would give us a detailed biographical insight into his earliest years. Despite this, the State Archives in Slavonski Brod - Department in Požega keeps three archival funds that can bring us closer to our academician and fellow citizen. For an insight into his earliest education, data is provided by the Slavonska Požega Primary School fund (HRDASB-PŽ-127), which contains basic data about his earliest education at the “Petar Zrinski” Boys’ National School in Požega (from 1929 to 1933). Valuable information about high school education (from 1933 to 1941), an invaluable period in forming his identity, is provided by the second fund of the Slavonska Požega High School (HR-DASB-PŽ-112), which was called the Royal State High School in that period in Slavonska Požega. Pedagogical documentation contains special “notes about the student” which are very interesting because they describe each student’s learning, behaviour, physical disabilities and circumstances (financial) under which the student was educated.
After several decades of education, as well as traveling throughout Europe and the world, Peić found himself again among his fellow citizens at the opening of the exhibition “Miroslav Kraljević” in the City Museum of Požega in 1971, organized by the Historical Archives in Požega and Požeški list (Požega newspaper). Later, he presented his own work in an exhibition of watercolours from the art folder “Požega” in June of the same year. In his hometown, he was presented with the first “Miroslav Kraljević” award in 1973.
Matko Peić never separated his ties with Požega and valued cooperation with the “new generation” of people at that time. Thus, he established a close collaboration with Požega archivist Rudolf Heli (1937-2002). In the Rudolf Heli fund (HR-DASB-PŽ-338) there are several series pertaining to him: a series of documents containing biographical information, a list of episodes of the TV programme “TV Kalendar”, and a bibliographic work. Also, it holds documentation on the exhibition of drawings and atercolours from the art folder “Požega” and series related to the preparation and publication of essays, travelogues, and feuilletons entitled “Požega” (1995). The last unit in the Požega archives contains a collection of photographs by Matko Peić from the 1971 exhibition and many other occasions.
Keywords
Matko Peic; Požega Archives; Požega High school; Rudolf Heli; Požega.
Hrčak ID:
330153
URI
Publication date:
26.3.2025.
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