Niklaus I.
Strunke

Born in Poland, where his father was a non – commissioned officer, because the childhood he spent in the barracks. Due to the father's sister in 1903 N. Attention pereselyaetsya to Valmiera, where in 1909 completes the gymnasium liepiņš. In Valmiera he stayed with the painters A. Petrov and T. Adera.

From Valmiera, he moved to St. Petersburg to the father, and in 1909 – 11 years of study at the school of the Royal society for the promotion of art in N. Roerich and Ivan Bilibin. The register for the Institute of art history of count N. Zubov. In 1911 – 13 years N. Attention to study in art school of M. Bernstein in St. Petersburg Academy of arts in the workshop of V. mate learned the technique of etching and linaresii.

In 1913, he went to Riga until 1914 he studied at the Studio Yu Madernieka.

In 1914, lives in St. Petersburg and study at the art Studio of Sherwood, and Bernstein.

In 1915 N. Attention voluntarily enlisted in the army.

In 1917, the artist goes in Cesis, then Felling, some time was in St. Petersburg, from there with a false identity goes to Vilnius, and in 1919 he able to return to Riga.

He was a member of the group of Expressionists (later the group of Riga artists).

In 1923 – 26 years N. Attention poedaet Berlin, Rome, Florence, Capri Islands.

In 1920 – 44 years, the artist painted more than 700 book covers, illustrated, approximately 30 novels, books of poems and stories, worked as a decorator at the National theater, the Working theater, National Opera (sets for about 40 plays), he worked in the applied arts (glass painting in Riga and Sigulda), about 50 drawings of porcelain for China factory E. Esina. N. Toe the line, worked in easel painting, he wrote criticism and essays on art.

In exhibitions the artist has participated since 1914.

Personal exhibitions are organized in Rome (1924), Stockholm (1927, 1952, 1962), Riga (1940), Karlstad (1945), the city of Malmo (1947), Lund (1948).

Memorable exhibitions – in Gotland (Sweden, 1979, together with L. toe the Line), Riga (1984, 1988, 1989), Stockholm (1994).

In 1944 N. Toe the line emigrated to Sweden, Stockholm. From there, the artist traveled to Italy and since the 1950s had been there for several months a year. He died in Italy, Rome.

Literature:

1) ) Māksla un arhitektūra biogrāfijās. Atb. red. A. Vanaga – Rīga, 2000 – 3. sēj.

2) J. Siliņš, Latvijas māksla 1915 – 1940 – Stokholma, 1988 – 1. sēj.