Paja Jovanović was born in
Vršac,
Austrian Empire (modern-day
Serbia). His father was photographer Stevan Jovanović and his mother was Ernestina née Deot, of French descent. He spent his childhood and early youth in this home town, where he saw the
iconostasis of
Pavel Đurković and
Arsenije Teodorović in the town churches, which would influence his future works. So Paja Jovanović started drawing himself, at first in secret, copying church pictures and spending hours in the empty church that he considered his first teacher. However, at the time when the ecclesiastical municipality in Vršac decided to order new bells for the Cathedral and when it was necessary to create drawings of saints, it became known about his talent. Thus, already at the age of fourteen, Jovanović received his first commission, and, thanks to significant praise, a kind of pass to Vienna and the opportunity to enroll in the Academy. Jovanović's mother died at a young age and his father went on to remarry. His father took him to
Vienna in 1875 when he was 15, where he enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts in 1877 in the class of professor
Christian Griepenkerl. He finished the Academy in 1880, attending several important courses taught by
Leopold Carl Müller, known as an "orientalist". There is no doubt that Miller's crucial lessons determined his painting preference. Noting the increased interest of Europe to the events in the Balkans, he travelled during the holidays to Albania, Montenegro, Dalmatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia gathering sketches and studies of the life of the Balkan peoples. Precisely these themes brought Paja Jovanović worldwide fame and popularity. In the following period, having noticed the greater interest of Europe for the
Balkans, he painted mostly scenes from the life of the
Serbs,
Montenegrins,
Herzogivinans,
Aromanians and
Albanians, which brought him a great reputation. Encouraged to visit the Balkan region during his hiatus, he studied the customs and folklore of the people, and in 1882 he was awarded the prize of the Academy and was given the Imperial scholarship for the composition
The Wounded Montenegrin. The public and many art critics directed their attention to the young painter, and in 1883 he signed a contract with the "French" gallery in
London. He continued his travelling through
Caucasus,
Morocco,
Egypt,
Greece,
Turkey,
Italy, and
Spain. A great number of sketches, notes, and studies, along with the collected objects from the life of the common people, will find their place in his famous genre-compositions, such as:
Fencing,
Decorating of the Bride, and
Cockfighting. Some of Jovanović's most remarkable praises were gathered at two of his greatest exhibitions: Millennium exhibition in
Budapest in 1896, where he prepared
Migration of the Serbs for entry, but the
Vršac triptych was sent instead, and the World Exhibition in
Paris in 1900, for which he had painted a great historical composition ''
The Proclamation of Dušan's Law Codex''. As of 1888, he was proclaimed a member of the
Serbian Royal Academy. He was tasked with painting monumental, historical compositions. After 1905 he devoted himself exclusively to painting the portraits in the style of academic realism for the rich clientele, and he became very famous thanks to them. Some of the most famous include those of
Painter Simington,
Mihajlo Pupin,
Đorđe Jovanović,
King Alexander I of Yugoslavia and others. He painted the portraits of his longtime model and wife, Muni with special care. Painting women for Paja Jovanović always meant painting beauty. Even when it was about not so beautiful women, he always tried to find the beauty in them. Many art critics reproached him for this, and sent fierce and even caustic criticisms, but he remained true to himself and his wisdom in life: "Skill is to find beauty." Jovanović focused mostly on Serbian history, painting various historical events, such as • ''
The Proclamation of Dušan's Law Codex, codex made by first Serbian Emperor'' •
Saint Sava reconciling his quarrelling brothers, Sava was monk and a saint who focused on Serbian education and religion •
Migration of the Serbs, Depicting Serbs led by Archbishop Arsenije III, fleeing Old Serbia and moving up north to Austria, Hungary and Vojvodina •
The Wedding of Emperor Stefan Dušan He painted the
iconostasis in the church of St Nicholas in
Dolovo and
Orthodox cathedral in Novi Sad, which was painted without commission. He spent most of his time in his atelier in Vienna, where he settled, and occasionally travelled to
Belgrade. In 1940 he was made
honorary citizen of
Vršac, and in 1949 he was given the
Order zasluga za narod (Merit for People) of the first category. He lived quietly and lonely, after his wife's early death, in Vienna until his own death in 1957. According to his will, the urn with his ashes was to be moved to Belgrade and where
Museum of Paja Jovanović was opened in 1970, as well in Vršac. Later, in the building of the Old Pharmacy on the Stairs, in 1977 the permanent commemorative exhibition of Paja Jovanović was opened. The works of Paja Jovanović have been kept in the Town Museum of Vršac, along with his well-known painting
Vršac triptych. Most of his works and personal belongings can be found in the
Belgrade City Museum. Jovanović's memoirs have been published in 2025. ==Benefactor==