About the oak
In his works, he depicted the luxurious Slavonian tree down to the smallest detail, every hollow in the bark, every leaf and twig...
Adolf Waldinger was a painter and professor at the Osijek Real Gymnasium. He learned to paint with pencil and watercolor under the famous Osijek painter Hugo Conrad von Hötzendorf. The painter recognized talent in Adolfo. The connection between Hötzendorf and Waldinger is also evidenced by the fact that in 1969, their sculptures, made by the academic sculptor Vanja Radauš, were jointly installed in Osijek's Sakuntala Park.
Encouraged by his teacher, Adolf went to Vienna in 1861 to study at the Academy of Fine Arts. He used that time to travel around Bavaria, Austria and northern Italy, and he returned to Osijek in 1869.
Returning to Osijek, he worked for ten years as a teacher in a real gymnasium. His most beautiful works were created at that time. The artistic oeuvre he created earned him the title of unusual portraitist of Slavonia. Namely, Waldinger was fascinated by oak trees. He painted them in detail. It would show every leaf, branch and hollow in the bark. Forest landscapes were his favorite subject.
Some of his greatest paintings were the paintings "Forest", "View of Olevano", "Landscape with Two Peasants", "Old Oak", "Mill in the Forest", and his pencil drawing called "At the Edge of the Forest" from 1884. is an anthological work of drawing art.
Adolf was misunderstood during his lifetime. Some sources state that he died in misery and misery. The value of his painting skills was recognized much later after his death. Memories of him are contained in his wonderful, ambient paintings. Even now he is remembered as the greatest Osijek painter.
