(5.11.1904, Praga - 4.12.1995, Ljubljana)
Bruno Vavpotič was a famous Slovenian set designer and painter who began to develop an interest in art at an early age. He was born into the artistically gifted family of the painter Ivan Vavpotič, who inspired him to create. After completing his schooling in Ljubljana, in 1918 he enrolled in a course in set design with V. Skrušny. The lectures were held within the framework of the SNG.
Between 1920 and 1921 he spent time in Prague, where he perfected his skills at the School of Arts and Crafts. After that, Bruno went to Vienna. Vavpotič was active primarily as a set designer in the national theatres in Belgrade, Banja Luka and Ljubljana, where he worked until his retirement in 1960. He spent part of World War II in Dachau, where in 1944 he created a series of 32 black-and-white drawings. These depict camp motifs and are kept by the Museum of the National Liberation Army in Ljubljana.
After the end of World War II, the artist worked mainly with watercolors. This way of painting allowed him to achieve soft transitions between color shades and a special sensitivity to light. Like his father, Bruno Vavpotič often depicted city views. He painted scenes from Ljubljana, Prague, Vienna and Venice, always capturing the atmosphere in his images. He repeatedly explored the same motifs, among which depictions of the Galus embankment, Krka, Vintgar and Kranjska Gora predominate. In addition to scenography and views, he also painted floral still lifes, marinas and genre scenes.
Vavpotič's images express the aesthetic experience of the entire field of art, which is why his watercolors were in great demand even during his lifetime. He also reached abroad with works of Slovenian landscapes, as he knew how to capture the beauty of domestic nature. Since 1919, Ivan Vavpotič has been a member of the Slovenian Association of Fine Artists. He also exhibited with them, and he also presented his works at solo exhibitions several times.
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Bruno Vavpotič je bil znamenit slovenski scenograf in slikar, ki je zanimanje nad umetnostjo začel gojiti že v rani mladosti. Rodil se je v umetnostno nadarjeno družino slikarja Ivana Vavpotiča, ki ga je navdušil nad ustvarjanjem. Po končanem šolanju v Ljubljani, se je leta 1918 vpisal na izobraževanje o scenografiji k V. Skrušnyju. Predavanja so potekla av okviru SNG.
Med letoma 1920 in 1921 se je mudil po Pragi, kjer je svoje znanje izpopolnil na šoli za umetno obrt. Za tem je Bruno odšel še na Dunaj. Vavpotič je bil aktiven predvsem kot scenograf v narodnih gledališčih v Beogradu, Banja Luki in Ljubljani, kjer je delal vse do upokojitve leta 1960. Del druge svetovne vojne je preživel v Dahavu, kjer je leta 1944 ustvaril serijo 32 črno-belih risb. Te prikazujejo taboriščno motivih, hrani pa jih Muzej NOB v Ljubljani.
Po koncu druge svetovne vojne se je umetnik ukvarjal večinoma z akvarelom. Takšen način slikanja mu je omogočil mehko prehajanje med barvnimi odtenki in posebno občutljivost za svetlobo. Bruno Vavpotič je tako kot oče večkrat upodabljal mestne vedute. Slikal je prizore iz Ljubljane, prage, Dunaja in Benetk, pri tem pa je v svoje podobe vselej zajel atmosfero. Večkrat je raziskoval iste motive, med katerimi prevladujejo upodobitve Galusovega nabrežja, Krke, Vintgarja in Kranjske Gore. Poleg scenografije in vedut se je ukvarjal tudi s slikanjem cevtličnih tihožitij, marin in žanrskih prizorov.
Vavpotičeve podobe izražajo estetsko doživetje celotnega likovnega polja, zato je bilo že za čas njegovega življenje kar dosti povpraševanja po njegovih akvarelih. Z deli slovenskih pokrajin je segel tudi v tujino, saj je znal ujeti lepoto domače narave. Od leta 1919 je bil Ivan Vavpotič član Društva slovenskih likovnih umetnikov. Skupaj z njimi je tudi razstavljal, večkrat pa je svoja dela predstavil tudi na samostojnih razstavah.
Besedilo je za galerijo Porta Alpina pripravila Pia Župevec, dipl. um. zgod.
The text was prepared for the Porta Alpina gallery by Pia Župevec, B.Sc. art history
The text was prepared for the Porta Alpina gallery by Pia Župevec, B.Sc. art history
SOURCES/VIRI:
Ed. Jelka Gazvoda, Ljubljana med nostalgijo in sanjami, MKLJ, https://www.kamra.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/LMNS_2015-4-1_20161013_124616.pdf (14.1.2026).
Maja PANGOS, O akvarelu, Castra 2017, https://lokarjevagalerija.splet.arnes.si/files/2017/08/Katalog-castra-2017.pdf (7.1.2026).
Ivan Vavpotič, Narodna galerija Ljubljana, https://www.ng-slo.si/si/stalna-zbirka/1900-1918/moja-zena-ivan-vavpotic?workId=3518 (1.1.2026).
Asta ZNIDARČIČ, Vavpotič, Bruno (1904–1995). Slovenska biografija, 2013, http://www.slovenska-biografija.si/oseba/sbi764723/#slovenski-biografski-leksikon (10.2.2026).
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