Jaroslav Friedrich Julius Vešín (Bulgarian, 1859-1915)

Jaroslav Frantisek Julius Vešín received his artistic training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague and in 1881, he studied at the Akademie in Munich. Early in his career, he worked in Munich and Slovakia, mostly painting scenes related to Slovakian village life.

Vešín moved to Sofia in 1897 and worked in the Bulgarian capital for the remainder of his life. Until 1904 he was a professor at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia, when he became the official painter of the Ministry of War. However, he did not abandon his old interest in depicting scenes of village life, and continued to paint in the Bulgarian countryside.

The Hunting Party is characteristic of the work of the artist at the height of his artistic powers. Executed on a large scale, the work depicts a group of huntsmen and their dogs returning from the successful hunt, their bounty slung over the side of the wagon. It is evening, and the entire scene is bathed in the cold, clear light of winter. The draftsmanship and technique is extremely precise and clearly demonstrates Vešín’s strong academic training.