(b Gorizia, 6 July 1790; d Gradisce, nr Prvacina, 22 April 1866). Slovene painter. He began his training in Gorizia with a local painter, Karel Kebar (1764–1810). In 1803 Tominc left Gorizia in order to study and in 1809 went to Rome with a letter of recommendation from the Archduchess Mary Anne of Austria. He lived and studied from 1810 until 1817 with the painter Domenico Conti Bazzani (c. 1742–1818) and at the Accademia di San Luca, where he won a silver medal in 1914. In Rome he developed a distinctive drawing technique, with plasticity in the figures and objects, and cool colours, producing works in a classicizing style similar to that of Ingres and of Vincenzo Camuccini (e.g. Self-portrait with the Artist’s Brother Francesco, c. 1818; Gorizia, Mus. Prov. Pal. Attems). In 1818 he visited Naples and then returned to Gorizia before visiting Vienna briefly in 1819. From 1821 until 1823 he painted in Ljubljana, mostly portraits of citizens and members of the Ljubljana Congress and religious paintings, but also a portrait of Emperor Francis (untraced). His single figure and group portraits (e.g. the Family of Dr Frusic, c. 1830; Ljubljana, N.G.) show a familiarity with Biedermeier painting. In 1830 he left for Trieste, where he remained, and where he had a one-man exhibition. He was famous for his technical facility: in 1836 he painted 25 portraits of English naval officers in 25 days. Tominc’s full-length and half-length portraits often include landscapes in the background and objects or views that relate to the profession or property of the sitter. He was particularly skilful at depicting shining surfaces, jewellery, cloth and people’s distinctive features, sometimes with humour or irony (e.g. Self-portrait in the Lavatory, c. 1830; Trieste, Mus. Civ. Revoltella). He also painted religious scenes in the style of the Nazarenes or after Raphael and Pierre Mignard. In 1855 he returned to Gorizia and then went to Gradisce to his brother’s estate, where he had a studio and where he died, nearly blind.

• Tominc, Jozef
  • Slovenia, §III: Painting and graphic arts