Jazep Drazdovič

Jazep Drazdovič (1888–1954, Belarusian: Язэп Нарцызавіч Драздовіч, Polish: Józef Drozdowicz) was a Belarusian painter, archaeologist, and ethnographer.

Jazep Drazdovič
Belarusian: Язэп Нарцызавіч Драздовіч
Born	(1888-10-13)13 October 1888 Puńki, Hłybokaje District, Russian Empire
Died	15 September 1954(1954-09-15) (aged 65) Padśville, Hłybokaje District, Belarusian SSR
Nationality	Belarusian
Occupation(s)	painter, archaeologist, and ethnographer

Self-portrait, 1943

Born in the present day Hłybokaje District in the family of a landless nobleman, Drazdovič studied in Dzisna Vitebsk Region, after that in Vilnia under Ivan Trutnev. Today Drazdovič's works are preserved in Belarusian National Arts Museum, Belarusian National History Museum and National Museum of Lithuania.

Early life

Jazep Drazdovič on a 1994 stamp

Jazep was born on October 13, 1888, in the village of Punki, Dzisna County, Vilna Province, in the family of an impoverished nobleman. When he was two, his father died; Jazep and his five brothers were raised by their mother, and soon the family was left without land and a home. The family often had to change their place of residence, renting land. Drazdovich began his studies with a private teacher, then he studied at the Dzisna Gymnasium, and in 1906 moved to Vilnius, where he entered the art school of the famous Russian painter Ivan Trutnev, which he graduated in 1908. Drazdovich worked in art workshops and planned to go abroad to earn money.

Drazdovich was greatly influenced by the Belarusian national revival. At this time, he made his first steps in art: he created a series of graphic works with landscapes of the Dzisna region, decorated the cover of the "First Belarusian Calendar for 1910", published by Nasha Niva.

In 1910 he was drafted into the Russian army. After two years of service in Saratov, he graduated from paramedic courses and began working in a clinic. Drazdovich met the First World War in the active army, with a reserve battalion on the Western Front. Due to difficult working conditions, Jazep Drazdovich fell ill with typhoid fever and was hospitalized for two months. After a seven-month vacation to visit his homeland, he returned to the army.

Gallery

Historical-themed works

• 
  Усяслаў Полацкі ў парубе пад палатамі кіеўскага князя (Vseslav the Sorcerer), 1923
• 
  Пагоня (Pahonia), 1927
• 
  Друкарня Францішка Скарыны ў Вільні (Francysk Skarynas printing house in Vilnia), 1940—1943
• 
  Усяслаў Чарадзей пад Гародняй (Vseslav the Sorcerer near Grodno), 1944

Architecture

• 
  Германавічы. Касцёл (Hiermanavičy, Catholic church), 1917
• 
  Менск. Выгляд са Шпітальна-Траецкага завулка (Minsk, view from Hospital-Troitskae street), 1919 г.
• 
  Менск. Абрыў Замкавай гары і прыбярэжная грэбля на правым беразе ракі Свіслач (Minsk, near Castle Hill and the Śvisłač river), 1920
• 
  Глыбокае. Кармеліцкі касцёл і кляштар (Hłybokaje, Carmelite Catholic church), 1925

Cosmos

• 
  Над безданню (Upon abyss), 1931
• 
  Абсерваторыя на кальцы Сатурна (Observatory on the ring of Saturn), 1931
• 
  Сустрэча вясны на Сатурне (Welcoming spring coming on Saturn), 1931
• 
  Агляд зімовых пячораў сатурнянамі (Saturnians watches their winter caves)
• 
  Cosmopolis. «Порт нябеснага прастору» на кольцы Сатурна (Cosmopolis. "Port of the sky" on the ring of Saturn)
• 
  Вечар у пустэльні на Марсе (Evening in the Martian desert)
• 
  Мінулае (The Past)
• 
  Космас (Cosmos), 1940—1943

Sceneries

• 
  Далёкая краіна (A Far-Away Land), 1933
• 
  Краявід з цягніком (Scenery with a train), 1936
• 
  Ляскова (Laskova), 1936
• 
  Гара Гарватка (Harvatka mountain), 1952

Carpets

• 
  Дзве дзяўчыны на мастку (Two girls on a bridge), 1930s
• 
  Месяцовая ноч (Moonlit night), 1937
• 
  Красналюдка — казачнік-бай (Krasnaludka - storyteller), 1948
• 
  Як мужык з панам цягаецца (How a man competed with a landlord), 1930s