About the artist:

After completing his studies in Ljubljana in 1931, Gabrijel Stupica studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. His mentor was the painter Ljubo Babić. After completing his studies in 1937, he lived and worked in Zagreb for almost a decade, including the period of World War II. In the early period, he rarely exhibited in Slovenia, several times with Neodvisni. In 1946, he moved to Ljubljana, where, at the invitation of Božidar Jakac, he took up the professorship of painting at the newly founded Academy of Fine Arts. Until his retirement in 1977, he was twice rector (today this title would be dean ) of the institution. He improved his studies by traveling abroad, often going to Venice and Paris. The University of Ljubljana awarded him the title of professor emeritus in 1986. He was elected a corresponding member of the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences in Zagreb (1966), a corresponding member (1977) and a regular member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (1983).

He received many national and international recognitions and awards for his work. He won the Prešeren Prize four times (1948, 1950, 1957 and for lifetime achievement in 1981), as well as the Jakopičev Prize (1970) and the Avnoj Prize (1977). In addition to painting, he also worked occasionally with scenography and graphics . He is considered one of the central artistic figures in Slovenia and Yugoslavia in the second half of the 20th century. It is also known abroad, especially in Germany. He exhibited at many individual and group events at home and abroad. In June 2010, a boutique exhibition was opened in the Zala Gallery in Ljubljana. The text of the catalog was added by Nadja Zgonik. A large retrospective in the Moderna galerija in Ljubljana was prepared by the curator Martina Volkova, and dr. Tomaž Brejc. The exhibition was opened in December 2013. Several boutique exhibitions of his works were prepared by Breda Ilich.

Stupica was married to the illustrator, painter Marlenko Stupica , with whom they had a daughter, Marija Lucija , who was also an excellent illustrator. The daughter inspired the painter, she was his model herself or with her toys.

In 1988, he became the grandfather of the girl Hana, who is also a painter and illustrator. Two years after her birth, on December 19, 1990, he died in the Clinical Center in Ljubljana due to heart failure.