Stevan Petrovic, White Tree, Naïve Painter Between Serbia, France And Switzerland, Circa 1980

Stevan D. Petrovic, White Tree, naïve painter active in Serbia, France, and Switzerland, circa 1980

Stevan D. Petrovic
Oil on canvas, circa 1980.
35 × 27 cm, unframed.
Signed “S. Petrovic” lower right. Stamp of Galerie Bourg-de-Four 19, Geneva, on the back of the stretcher.
Gilded and black wooden frame with raceme decoration.
In good condition.

Stevan D. Petrovic is a Yugoslav naïve painter whose career also unfolded in France and Switzerland. Inspired by the rural landscapes of Serbia, he created a personal universe populated by trees, villagers, and vividly colored scenes, in which the finesse of his drawing plays a particularly prominent role. His painting follows a distinct path from that of the Croatian school of Hlebine. He may be identified as Stevan Djordjević, known as Petrovic—a name that would explain the initial “D.” found in some of his signatures.

Petrovic has been exhibiting in France since 1969, particularly in Paris. In 1972, an exhibition of his works in Geneva was well received by the Swiss public. His paintings and graphic works were subsequently exhibited regularly at Galerie Bourg-de-Four 19, from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s. In September 1979, his works were displayed there alongside those of Leonor Fini, Théo Tobiasse, and other international artists.

A white tree, with branches as delicate as lace, stands out against a red sky. At its base, a man leads a horse on which a woman is seated, in a winter landscape that evokes a folk tale.

The stamp of Galerie Bourg-de-Four 19, imprinted on the stretcher, links the painting to this Geneva chapter of the artist’s career and suggests a date in the late 1970s or early 1980s, around 1980.

Among his exhibitions and presentations in France and Switzerland, the following are worth noting, though this list is by no means exhaustive:

Since 1969, France — Exhibitions in various cities, particularly in Paris.

1972, Geneva, Switzerland — Presentation of his works, which was well received by the public.

September 1978, Galerie Bourg-de-Four 19, Geneva, Switzerland — Oil paintings and lithographs.

April 1979, Galerie Bourg-de-Four 19, Geneva, Switzerland — *La joie de vivre*, recent oil paintings and lithographs.

September 1979, Galerie Bourg-de-Four 19, Geneva, Switzerland — Group exhibition featuring works by Fini, Tobiasse, Petrovic, Takahashi, Hasegawa, Lejeune, Guibal, and Denoël.

October 1979, Galerie Bourg-de-Four 19, Geneva, Switzerland — Oil paintings, gouaches, and lithographs.

February 1981, Galerie Bourg-de-Four 19, Geneva, Switzerland — Paintings and lithographs.

December 1984–February 1985, Galerie Bourg-de-Four 19, Geneva, Switzerland — Paintings, watercolors, and silkscreen prints.