Biography
Vilim Leskošek was born in Zagreb in 1918. He attended the State First Boys’ Real High School in Zagreb, and State Secondary Engineering School in Zagreb. In 1939 he got a job as an office worker in the Ban electrical firm in Zagreb. In autumn 1943 he enrolled in the education course in the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. In 1947 he graduated, and enrolled in a post-graduate course in the Fine Arts Department, Painting with Printmaking Section, class of T. Krizman. From 1949 to 1951 he was a freelance artist and had several pictures shown in ULUH exhibitions.
In 1951 he was appointed curator in Varaždin Municipal Museum Picture Gallery, where with conservator friends he took part in inspecting Trakošcan Castle and making recommendations about the measures necessary for the preservation of the castle and for making a museum therein.
During 1952 he attended a conservation course in the Institute for the Conservation and Restoration of Art Materials of the Croatian/Yugoslav Academy. He was appointed manager of Trakošćan Castle in 1953 and at once started major works on the repair and renovation of the cellar and ground floor parts. He took the national exam for the grade of conservator in 1959. He carried out the duties of director of Trakošćan until his retirement.
Because Trakošćan was damaged in an earthquake of 1982, Leskošek went on with the repairs to the building. In parallel with his conservation and restoration works, he was actively involved in painting and took part in collective and individual exhibitions and worked on the conception of the display. As well as articles in museum publications and the dailies, Leskošek is the author of four editions of guides to Trakošćan Castle, the last being printed in 1984, in four languages, in 15,000 copies. For his work he received several recognitions and prizes: 1959, Order of Labour, 3rd Class for Services during the War; 1985 the Commune of Ivanec May 8 Prize; 1986 the Pavao Ritter Vitezović Prize of the Croatian Museum Association for lifetime achievement.
Vilim Leskošek died in Rijeka in 1995. At the initiative of Trakošćan Castle and the Tourist Office of Bednje, the Art Colony in Trakošćan bears his name.
NB: data from the MDC archives and material collected by Leskošek’s nephew Marijan Dilkic and submitted to the Personal Archives of the MDC.
From our library:
Selected bibliography
Others about the author
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