Painter Anton Koželj (1874–1954)

On Šutna Street in Kamnik, at number 9, we can notice a commemorative plaque with the names of all three members of the Koželj painting family.
The Koželj family was a well-known painting family from Kamnik. Their legacy can be traced from the 19th century to the mid-20th century, starting with the father, Matija Koželj, a Nazarene painter, and later with his sons Anton and Maks Koželj. While Matija and Maks Koželj have already been presented, the life and work of Anton Koželj remain a considerable unknown that awaits further exploration.
Anton inherited his love for painting from his father Matija (1842–1917), a renowned church painter. In 1865, Matija Koželj settled in Kamnik, and that same year, he painted his first Stations of the Cross. These were his specialty—he completed around twenty during his lifetime. He also created numerous altarpieces and frescoes for churches throughout the Diocese of Ljubljana.
Of the Koželj painting family, Anton was the only one to achieve an academic level of education. After completing primary school in Kamnik, he attended six years of high school in Ljubljana. He then moved to Vienna, where he completed eight semesters at the Academy of Fine Arts under Professor Rumpler and two semesters with Professor Griepenkerl, focusing primarily on drawing and composition.
After completing his military service in 1900, he settled in Domžale, where he restored around fifty old paintings for the nearby Krumperk Castle. In 1903, as an apprentice, he began teaching drawing at the Ljubljana Real Gymnasium. After passing his professional exam in Vienna in 1905, he became a regular professor of drawing at this school. He continued to teach until his retirement in 1938. After retiring, he taught part-time at the Sixth Gymnasium in Ljubljana until 1948.
Anton Koželj is best known for his book illustrations. Most of his work was for the Družba sv. Mohorja publishing house when it was based in Celje. He created covers for calendars and decorated the month headings with charming drawings illustrating the main tasks of each month. In 1908, he illustrated an edition of Gregorčič’s Poezije (Poems), selected by the poet Anton Medved. In 1910, he illustrated Slovenske legende (Slovene Legends), and two years later, Balade in romance (Ballads and Romances). These three books became popular among the people, especially due to Koželj’s illustrations. Additionally, Koželj’s illustrations appear in the book Podobe iz narave (Images from Nature) by Professor Franc Pungov.
In the Miha Maleš Gallery, in the collection of Kamnik and Kamnik-related artists, we keep one of Anton Koželj’s rare works. This painting holds double significance. It is a rarity in the artist’s oeuvre, as he is better known for religious imagery and book illustrations. The second significance lies in the motif, which portrays a Kamnik townswoman in folk costume with two children. All of them are dressed in a slightly modified version of traditional attire, especially the boy’s costume, which features wide trousers, suspenders, and a scarf.

Art historian and the artist’s fellow townsman, Professor Emilijan Cevc, wrote: “While Koželj contributed to the popularity of Mohorjeva založba’s books, these books, in turn, made their illustrator familiar across the country, so that alongside Ivan Vavpotič, Maksim Gaspari, Gvido Birollo, and Hinko Smrekar, we must consider him one of the classics and pioneers of Slovenian book illustration.”

Saša Bučan