Stanislav Rapotec
Stanislav Ivan Rapotec, (4 October 1913 - 18 November 1997) was a Slovenian artist. He was born in Trieste when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1918 he moved with his family to Ljubljana, part of the newly created Yugoslavia. After military training as a reserve officer, he began his career with the National Bank of Yugoslavia in Split where he also developed his skill as an artist.[1]
Early life
Stanislav Rapotec was born in Trieste in 1913, however he grew up in Ljubljana as his family moved there during 1918. During 1939, he moved to Split, where we worked at a bank. He decided to take up painting during this time.
World War II
When Yugoslavia was invaded in 1941 by Germany during World War II, "Stanislav Rapotec" escaped to Split, where he fought for the Yugoslavian government in exile. He had also visited Jerusalem, where he met Julian Amery of the British Special Operations Executive. During January 1942, he was selected by the Yugoslavian military to attack the Adriatic coast. Later in July, he went back to the middle eastern region. He was feared lost by the allies. He has traveled from Split to Mostar to Zagreb (where he had sheltered for 2 and a half months and met surviving Jews and Serbs) to Belgrade, and finally to Turkey.[2]
Life as a painter
After the war, Stanislav moved to Adelaide, Australia, where he started to paint again. In 1955, he moved to Sydney. He started using his name in Latinized form (Stanislaus, or simply Stan). In 1961, he won Blake Prize for Religious Art. After his wife, Andree, had died, he traveled and painted all across Europe. He died in Sydney due a stoke in 1997.
Legacy
Stanislav Rapotec is famous for his art works, which are all exhibited in London, Rome, Paris, and the U.S.. He also is known for his famous quote, "To become an artist, you must have a life rich with experience, a strong desire to express yourself, a will strong enough to carry out this desire, and . . . talent,".[3]