Andrija Maurović

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Andrija Maurović (March 29, 1901 - September 2, 1981) was a renowned comic book author, often called the father of Croatian and Yugoslav comics.

He was born in Muo in Boka Kotorska (then Austria-Hungary, today Montenegro). After a short sojurn to Kraków, Poland, he moved with his Croatian family to Dubrovnik where he attended elementary and secondary school.

Following the recommendation of Ivo Vojnović, who was a known writer, he enrolled the Academy of Arts in Zagreb. Soon, he got into conflicts regarding norms and rules, since the academy prevented students of any work. At that time he started illustrating books, weekly and daily newspapers, and also graphic institutions, booksellers and editors, particularly for St. Kugli. As the best students, particularly in drawing, he dropped his first academic year. Being extremely busy with the work he liked, he did not take his academic fiasco tragically. Working on illustrations, caricatures, posters and graphic design, he became one of the best, and his work appeared in the editions of papers and magazines like Jutarnji list, Novosti, Koprive, Ženski svijet, Kulisa.

Starting with his first comic strip Bride of the Sword in 1935, in a relatively short time (1935-1937) he drew a great number of comics, including:

  • Empress of the Netherworld
  • Mistress from Mars
  • Three Men in the Dark
  • The Seventh Victim
  • Plague's Ship
  • Master of the Golden Hills
  • Ghost of the Green Swamps
  • By Fire and Sword
  • Goldsmith's Gold (Zlatarevo zlato), based on literary work of August Šenoa

Their dramaturgy and morphology show a visible influence of the first westerns.

At the time of the Second World War his drawings included:

  • The Tomb in the Rainforest
  • The Great Movement of the Croats
  • Prince Radoslav
  • Ahura Mazda on the Nile
  • Golden Island
  • Tomislav

and after the war followed:

  • The Mexican
  • The Siege
  • The Lone Star Rider
  • Purple Lavender Riders
  • Uglomi
  • The Master of the Cave
  • The Old Tom-cat's Return
  • The Old Tom-cat
  • The Witch of Grič
  • Beware the Hand from Senj, (Čuvaj se senjske ruke), based on literary work of Josip Eugen Tomić

Maurović collaborated with many eminent Croatian writers and screenplay writers, such as Franjo Fuis. He also drew his illustrations based on literary models of epic world writers and novelists like Leo Tolstoy, Zane Grey, August Šenoa, Jack London, and H. G. Wells.

It is difficult to describe the total number of his professions and activities. He was a painter of seascapes and apocalyptic scenes, caricaturist, illustrator, preacher and comic strip sketcher. He lived life of his own and created a great number of impressive comic strip heroes and personalities (like Dan, Old Tom-cat, Radoslav).

Being in all the world encyclopaedias and publications on comics, he has earned his eminent place in the art of world comics. Numerous editions and reprints of his best works, numerous awards and prizes he has received, the reputation that he achieved is comparable with the achievements and fame of the greatest names and creators of cartoons in the world.

Andrija Maurović died in Zagreb. The comic strip club in Kotor bears his name.

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