Stevan Todorović


Stevan "Steva" Todorović was a Serbian painter and the founder of modern fencing and Sokol movement in Yugoslavia.

Biography

Todorović was born in Novi Sad and died in Belgrade.
As a correspondent of a number of domestic and foreign newspapers during the Serbian-Turkish Wars, he became known as the founder of war painting in Serbia. From the Balkan Wars, and later World War I, this was no longer an individual occupation but a task subject to state and military regulations.
Todorović was close to the Obrenović royal house. He did portraits of almost all members of the royal family, including the portrait of Natalie of Serbia.
In the course of his long life he created art under various visual poetics, chiefly Romanticism to Academicism. His best works were carried out in the Romantic spirit. His extensive artistic legacy consists of portraits, religious and historical paintings, landscapes, and numerous studies and drawings. Much of his artistic activities is related to Serbia and Belgrade in which cultural and social life he actively participated. He opened the first art school in Belgrade where youngsters learned drawing, singing, fencing and gymnastic exercises. Owing to a long life and extraordinary tenacity and hard work he managed to create a rich painting opus.

Gallery