Konrāds Ubāns

Konrāds Ubāns was born on December 31, 1893 in Riga. His father was a railway worker. From 1902 until 1910 he studied in a commercial school. Later he studied in the Odessa art school for a half year. In 1911 he started studies in Riga Art school where he studied until 1914 when First World War started. Ubāns together with his family goes to Russia where he for a short while studies in Penza Art school. In 1916 he is drafted into Russian Imperial army and serves until 1918 when he is demobilized and returns to Latvia.

Ubāns was part of the "Green Flower" association of avant-garde artists, notably with Aleksandrs Drēviņš (lv), Valdemārs Tone (lv) and Kārlis Johansons (lv).

In 1920 his first solo exhibition is held in Riga. In the same year he starts his work in Latvian National Museum of Art as an assistant of museum director Burkarts Dzenis. In 1922 he takes study trip to Germany and France. In next year his second solo exhibition is held. In 1925 he is addressed by Vilhelms Purvītis and takes job in Art Academy of Latvia as a teacher of painting. In 1946 he is promoted to professor and works in this post for rest of his life. In 1959 he is declared as Peoples artist of Latvian SSR. In 1980 his last exhibition is held in Riga. Konrāds Ubāns died on August 30, 1981 in Riga. He is buried in the Riga Forest Cemetery.

Konrāds Ubāns is noted mostly for his landscape paintings and the poetic and intimate atmosphere within them. They are rich, harmonious works celebrating the wonder of nature. He mostly painted landscapes of Riga outskirts in Pārdaugava and Daugava river valley especially around Koknese. However he also has painted many portraits and still lifes. Also he has worked in graphic art and sculpture. Real maturity in his work can be seen as early as his paintings from the 1920s when he richly uses motifs and atmosphere of impressionism.