Bokshai Iosif Iosifovich (Iosip Iosipovich)
1891–1975
Painter, graphic artist
From the priest’s family. Studied in Mukachevo gymnasium; at the Hungarian Academy of fine arts in Budapest (1910-1914), at the pedagogical Department of I.Reves. In 1914 he was drafted into the army. Participant of the First world war; in 1915 fell into Russian captivity. In 1918 he returned home.
Lived in Uzhgorod. In the early 1930-х visited Germany, Italy, France, Poland. Worked primarily as a landscape painter; created thematic paintings, portraits, still lifes. Author paintings: “Flowers” (1920), “self-Portrait” (1929), “Portrait verkhovyntsya” (1934), “Girls” (1937), “Shed the Creek” (1940), “Threshing in the farm. 30 October” (1949), “picking apples” (1950) and others. Was engaged in monumental painting; in 1930-40-х painted churches in Transcarpathia, Slovakia, Hungary; complied a list of a Cathedral in Uzhhorod (1939). Created illustrations to the books “Stories” I.Y.Franko (1952), “Treasures” М. М. Tomchaniya (1954), “Primer” for schools of the Ukrainian SSR (1960) and others.
From 1919 — participated in exhibitions. Member of society of Subcarpathian Rus ‘ (1922). Exhibited at the exhibition of the club of artists of Transcarpathia (1922), 1st membership exhibition of the Union of artists of Transcarpathia (1931) in Uzhgorod, all-Union art exhibitions in Moscow (1946, 1947, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1967), Exhibitions of fine arts of the Ukrainian SSR in Kiev (1951, 1954) and others. His personal exhibitions were held in Uzhgorod (1922, 1953, 1963), Lviv (1954), Kiev (1963), Czechoslovakia (1926, 1929, 1935).
Taught in secondary school (1919-1945) and Artistic College (1945-1957) in Uzhgorod, Institute of applied and decorative art in Lviv (1951-1957). Together with А. М. Erdeli he was founder of the first art school in Transcarpathia — in Uzhgorod (1927). For his activity was awarded the title of honored art worker of the Ukrainian SSR (1951), Corresponding member of the Academy of arts of the USSR (1958), people’s artist of the USSR (1960) and people’s artist of the USSR (1963).
Paintings are represented in many Museum collections, including in the Transcarpathian art Museum named after. I.I.Bokshai in Uzhgorod, the National art Museum of Ukraine in Kiev, Lviv Museum of Ukrainian art, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk art museums, museums of Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland.
