Count into the happy ones

 Young Franciscans of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who went to school all over the Europe, just like as others who as professors or in some other roles abided out of their homeland, they tried to bring some art object in their homeland space which died in art since the stroke of gavel extinct – ironsmiths – who dressed stone. Priests Franjo Petrušić, Mijo Čuić, Grgo Kotromanović and others, tried by their self’s art and sculpture possibilities. In the middle of 19 century, after two and a half century of homelessness priests start to build first churches in west Herzegovina, they often acquired blessed objects and first grade artists’ values and valuable saint pictures. That means the spirit was ready, visionary didn’t lack, and general occasions delay the time in which domestic in cultural and artists space will reborn. In that way west Herzegovina in person of Priest MIRKO ĆOSIĆ had received on June 21st 1935, it`s own academically educated painter who is not from Mostar.

Lucky, it may be said. Unlucky, as well. Inevitability and frequency – of beginners’ steps – prevent temptation of extreme possibilities. Absences of competition inducements as well as absence of demand and critical check are calling average quality and inertness. Tempests like these followed gymnasium professor and priest M. ĆosiĆ on his painting way. Community to which he belonged enable him studies and confide him job that he liked.

Priest Velimir Šimić was a candidate, he was seven years old than Mirko Ćosić but the problems with health stood on the way to his departure to school.

As a graduate theologian and non-destined student of Music – who despite the wishes of his master didn’t register – but in regardless of all of this he was conscious of the fact that he is very wanted in gymnasium in Široki Brijeg. At that time gymnasium had ascents and excellent lecturers. Mirko Ćosić started to give lecturers in 1935, from nineteen teachers fourteen of them were Franciscans doctors of science and theology. It is hard to if the coming painter his assignment had seen in dominancy of intellectual values or he was conscious that his subjects, especially painting was considered less important. But anyway he could hope that in free time he can paint cause in Herzegovina had grown the interesting for Art.

P. Šaina and V. Šeferov like the coming painters who were before and after Ćosić`s return from school, in line like lecturers in gymnasium as A. Motika, K. A. de River, A. Gojak, S. Kopač, M. Vez, A. Matković and others. Herzegovina in its other parts was waiting for days of intensive artistic things.

 Between two coasts 

Except social and cultural characteristics which had influenced on the person and Ćosić’s painting there were things that seemed not very important on the first sight, but they absorbed him. We can’t find anything written about that, except notes in Book of christened in parish of Rasno in which is written – Buhovo die 19. Juli 1903. nat. 15 ejusdem fr. Pacificus Matijević bapt. Eliam lf. Matthaei Ćosić et Annae Čolak de Grljevići P. f. Georgius Ćosić de loco.[1] Second reliable information is that Ilija Ćosić , coming priest Mirko (or priest Miroslav – he finished Academy under this name) in 1913, he was ten years old and he started to go in school in village Rasno. He had grown up in two villages that had the same names – village Buhovo near the Široki Brijeg where he was born and village Buhovo near the Tomislavgrad.

The views of little Ilija from his home in Buhovo had stopped on the near sharp top Ozrnj on southeast, and with that high top are connected stories about remainders of buildings and about iron rings in rocks under the top, and on the west on the Magovnik with the remainders of Illyrian fortress. It was always something happening in the gardens and in tobacco gardens which were placed under the houses. While he was staying in Buhovo near the Tomislav Grad he had views above the village on Buljan-strana, Gradina, Mali and Veliki Ošljar and Jelovača and wide spaces with interminable pasture – grounds and spacious Duvanjsko field and surrounding mountains. Little Ilija had on his legs received early mornings and farewell nights, he admired to outlet of sun and sunset, he admired to beauties of the sky.

We don’t know how ten years old Ilija experienced departure to school – as a prerogative or as an unpleasant obligation. Anyway it was the start of transition from the spontaneous experience to set task way of life. Ćosić had always carried in his self two coasts and between those coasts had run out of his youth. In him didn’t stopped to live a boy who was very attached to parents` home and the beauties of nature, and in the same that soul get established priest-painter, who just like Gideon, had heard a voice of God – Go with that strength in you, and you will liberate Israel.[2]

 Freedoms and the frames

 On the fact that Ćosić was a Franciscan-priest it’s leaning a thought followed by the case of priest Mate Medović about the shortening of priest duty. Priests` obligations don’t live freedom to painter-priest-by considering way of using the time and materials goods, and they had narrow frame of using painter’s theme – to which painters are disposed. On the other side, the sense of priests service focusing spiritual and supernatural values, and without this there isn’t a real Art. Anyway if neither of these two priests when they were priests didn’t determine for priests profession, they would probably lived their lives as a heavies, one in Kuna on island Pelješac and the other in Buhovo and to far from the art.

 Accidentally survived unit  

 Pictures and their destinies

 Only one work is preserved from Ćosić’s students days – Studies for fairy from 1932, it was painted with pencil and pastel crayon, and the photography of portrait The man with the turban from 1934. Only two of his pictures from the time he graduate till the beginning of the Second world war are Bishop priest Anđeo Kraljević, portrait from 1935, and The blessed Nikola Tavelić from 1940. Bouth of them are made with oil on the cloth.

Most of his photographs that are probably taken in his atelier by the beginning of 1941, are – Visovac[4], (bigger dimensions), Portrait of priest Vojislav Mikulić, Portrait of teacher V. Zadro, Portrait of the man with the turban, The boy in the chair, Portrait of Mrs. Lučovnik, Široki Brijeg under the snow, Under the snow white, The vase with the flowers and Bosnian motive, Houses of the village and Veduta which are of smaller dimensions and painted with pastel or watercolor. From all these portraits as well as picture of blessed Nikola Tavelić it can be seen that Ćosić had many orders. 

Toward the memory of his pupils, in atelier is seen panorama of Široki Brijeg (the view from Nasip (pictures of tobacco, interior of the village house, pictures of kitchen subjects as well as the paint of young woman, probably some colleague from school. For exam they had to portrait some person and use lines as less as it is possible.[5]

From the time of Second World War only one picture is preserved – The leader Marko Bilarević,[6] and the drawing made with quill pen and Indian ink – Oak of Široki Brijeg. Bouth of theses works are from the 1943. To them it can be add picture oil tree, but it is known only from photography. It was made with pastel colors and marked-Ćosić, 1941.

In years of war school wasn’t regular. Ćosić had probably given his atelier for accomodation to students from pupils home. Because the situation was very bad at that time, Ćosić didn’t have much time for painting so he stopped for some time.

From the beginning of February 1945, and till the arrest on December 9th, 1945, Ćosić didn’t have any conditions for painting. For some time he was subtenant in nouns house, he saw the spiritual care for 8000 believers and he was only waiting for the day when he will be closed and put to death. 

Ćosić had sometimes painted in penitentiary for arrested cultural-artistic sections and for orders of prisoner administration. He managed to make some works for his friends and himself. He didn’t have atelier. In court notes was written that Ćosić – he expanded unfriendly propaganda, he calumniated progressive demarcation in the world, he was making antifascist mood,[7] he was spreading national and religious hate between convicts,[8] so from all of this it is not hard to conclude that he was in very hard position.

Three of his works that originated in Zenica are accessible to us – Priest Ljudevit Franjičević in convict suit (it’s made with pencil on paper, 1949), Portrait of Borislav Tavzes (watercolour on paper, August 8th, 1950) and Alps motive (oil on cloth, 1951). The fourth prisoner’s work till the beginning of Native war was Franciscan coat of arms handmade with needle on the inside of the tobacco box. Many of his works were hang on the walls in the prison but they forbidden him to sign them. In 1987, in the prison on the wall of the visit room was his landscape, made by oil on cloth.[9] To that time also belongs watercolor Portrait of priest Toma Zubac, made at the end of 1951, or at the beginning 1952, when he was for short time released from prison.

The last picture was painted in 1967, watercolor on paper – Portrait of Dragica and Stipe Čuljak. Very often he was ill so he didn’t considered himself capable for painting. 1965, at the beginning of summer he was asked to paint a portrait from the photography, he complied – Neither do I have with what to paint nor on what. Somehow I can’t paint, but I’ll have to.[10]

It is known for seven Ćosić’s sacral pictures. We already mentioned the picture of Blessed Nikola Tavelić from the 1940. Two big wall pictures he painted with oil colours in 1965, in the old church in Gorica near Grude – Jesus is blessing the kids and Tears of the boastful son. 1959, or in 1960, he painted for the main altar of the parish church in Čerin picture of Martyr Saint Stjepan, then he painted in 1961, for the main altar of church in Rasno picture of Saint Franjo, God’s trumpeter. From the same year are the pictures of Saint Nikola and Jozafat for the Ukraine church in Hrnići, parish Kozarac. On iconostasis he – radically renovated…on the old base with lighter colors – the rest iconostasis pictures, from which three works belong to Petar Žitecki[11] and on them Ćosić had written his sign as well. Orderer was very satisfied because in visage of Saint Nikola he excellent had portrait metropolitan Andrej Šepticki.

 Painter motives and technique

 Ćosić’s works we can separate on landscapes, motive of nature, portraits and sacral pictures. The most are preserved landscapes, something less works of lifeless nature and portraits. Least of all is preserved sacral pictures. In the special group belong interiors of the church in Široki Brijeg and interiors of village houses.

Only few pictures are accessible to us he made with pastel colors as well as drawings with Indian ink and only two drawings with pencil. He had mostly used oil and watercolour. He exemplified the page of almanac called Steps of fathers in 1934, /1935. He also with 36 drawings had exemplified The Francis province schematism of Mary in Herzegovina toward the photographs of priest Pio Nuić, and only three of them are preserved.[12]

 Exhibitions

 It is not known that Ćosić during his life had any exhibition. In July 1986, was posed his first independent exhibition, in the Franciscan monastery in Široki Brijeg during the pilgrimage of youth.[13] On his hundred birthday the small exhibition was in his village Buhovo (on July 12th and 13th   in 2003), and in it’s exhibition place (from July 15th till October 6th). The same that exhibition is transported in Mostar in the Gallery of Queen Katarina Kosača, and in March 2004, in Cultural information center in Tomislavgrad.

Ćosić was for the first time represented on common exhibition in Visoko 1980. Association of catholic religious employees from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Association of painter workers Visoko organized it. The second time he was put into a group on common exhibition in 1993, in Franciscan gallery in Široki Brijeg in organization of HKD Napredak from Mostar. After on exhibition was transported in Mostar and in some more places in Herzegovina and in neighbour Dalmatian. In 1998, in Split on exhibition Skill and beauty in hands he was represented with three pictures. But more of his works we could see in Franciscan gallery in Široki Brijeg in 1990.  

 The number and condition of preserve pictures

 In 1970, priest Dionizije Lasić who also had paint, first tried to inventory Ćosić`s pictures which had been in Franciscan monasteries and some other residences. He managed to find only 47 of them. On that list weren’t pictures from Tomislavgrad, Čerin, Gorica, Rasno, Seonica and some else that could be accessible to him.

Momentarily we know for about eighty Ćosić`s works. About one third is in property of Provincials and Franciscan monastery in Mostar, the second in Franciscan monastery in Široki Brijeg, the third one is in some other Franciscan residences or in some people and institutions which are out of the Franciscan community. Many pictures were ruined and the reasons are different. In Native war one of his picture was burned together with the house of his family, and two pictures were taken from monastery in Slano.

 Pedagogical work

 By Ćosić’s arrival in composition of professors’ assembly from Franciscan classical gymnasium it is effected what is wanted – the high professional education of all lecturers. Report for school year 1937/1938, quoted establishing of Drawing collection for which Ćosić was responsible. It could be said from this quote that at that time there wasn’t been art exhibition, because gymnastics and music exhibition are mentioned but nowhere is mentioned art exhibition.

On the classes of History and Art, Ćosić knew how to engage students’ attention and to represent them what is important to remember. He was very tidy, exact and patient with reduced speed of reactions. He knew to follow individually painter tentative of ambitious students. He had trust in secondary-school pupils. Some of them had whenever they want access to his atelier.

 Some consequences of Ćosić`s painter collection

 Ćosić was carried and confused by many painters knowledge which he had collected in Strasbourg, München and Zagreb. He was in hesitation and always posing to him a question – To what he can more bend, to picture of nature or to nature of picture? The life drama had denied possibility to return him on searching for individual expression, to take a breath and to breathe with his own painter soul.

As a priest-Franciscan and also as a painter, he was very determined with his Franciscan spirituals. He was very gentle Franciscan soul. The basis of his relation toward nature and also to painter’s work is celebrating of God, for which Bible say – And God had seen all that he done, and it was good.[14] He didn’t dare neither questioning nor to change – something what God had already done, in distinction from saint Francis of Assisi who with all sincere humility and devotion to Church, experienced himself as a – God’s finger, as a messenger of the Big King, – who is changing the world. To Ćosić stayed unreachable wish to sing Song of creatures and to become predecessor of Humanism and Renesans.

Ćosić as a painter was very obedient. His painter interpretation of nature and of man had flown peaceful and in traditional religious way. Drama had happened for creation the world. From the report of Creation book – And God had seen that is good, there is place neither for questioning nor for something that A. Camus called Art of rebellion. Painter’s duty is more or less to make a pictogram of placid clearness, to hand peaceful description of things and happenings.

Caught picture of the world Ćosić had anyway approach, but very bashfully. He knew but not always to connect his own creative thoughtful-spiritual impulses. He didn’t leave certainly measures of making more beautiful and additions, especially when he was drawing the sky. He had recourse to make softer and to poetring (The view from the Gelboa on Lištica, 1956). Something had dragged him to express what is a principle and spiritual in the soul of person, what is human and religious in that soul. The man is a size – God’s picture – that we can’t see with natural eyes, but it can be conjure up on picture. Ćosić believed in this painter possibility. He acknowledged that picture could be a new way of looking.

Colours for Ćosić are interior property of phenomenon world, energy, and the silent flame. Colours and the light dragged him, just like Nikola Kuzanski, that in creative world he sees God who creates world with invisible looking because he has power that poses order. Creating is not over, it is coming the third element – dialectical connection of God and creature – happening of looking.[15] Art creations are based in a very similar way on the art and powerful of looking.

Often Ćosić preferred cultivation Realism. He had feeling about the colours and their relation. Rarely he had used basic colours in their purity. Very often on his pictures is visible together grey and purple colour. He willingly enters that colour in both foreground and in background. With brown colour and with dark colours he conjured up interiors of sooty houses in villages from the time of his childhood, and with those colours he had also conjured up the dark brown priest’s suits.

He had also used geometry apparatus (Studies for fairy, 1932, Interior of church in Široki Brijeg, 1959, Franciscan Brijeg, s. a.). He had very certain drawing stroke (Oak in Široki Brijeg, Portrait of brother Jozo). He attended close forms; he accented the lines – especially in drawing death nature and also bouquet of flowers (Roses, 1954, Plate with fruit, 1955, Death nature, 1956, Lily and roses, 1966).

Previous shepard was inspired with open space and the look in distance, especially miraculous of Herzegovian’s sky with its’ changes. The connection with flowers and death nature, that he very often painted, are also his friendship with nature – between four walls – where he felt freely. Ćosić had shown accommodating to placing task with pictures of Saint Nikola and Saint Jozafat (in 1961), subordinating himself to eastern iconography.

It can be said that O. Mujadžić was one of main model among his professors, in accords and in synthesis of colour and light, J. Kljaković in shape dimensions, V. Bečić in immediate address to motive.

 For the live of picture

 The painter collection of priest Mirko Ćosić can be observed and marked exclusively in him. But, in him except the painter with his interior world and his drawing reaches, it is also good to recognize movable will of painter-pedagogue, to move sprits toward aspiration and toward searching some miraculous possibilities which are discovered by Art. Misfortunes that stood on the way to peaceful flow of those thoughts and work stopped them momentary, but positive efficiency starts to happening. Ćosić`s works have been turned into remainder of remainders. Those previous remainders and more allusion of possible, inside they have miraculous strength direction on addition of imagination. Ćosić`s phenomenon had influence on establishing the Treasury, then Franciscan gallery in Široki Brijeg in the 20th century and on the nearly exhausted of the century it was established in Široki Brijeg Art Academy of University in Mostar. The world of his paintings is sufficiently spacious, so that he can receive the coming curious people and to continue to grow with them.[16]