Ambroz Testen

Ambroz Janez (Janko) Testen (31 August 1897 – 7 January 1984) was Franciscan and Croatian expressionistic painter of Slovenian descent.^[3]

Ambroz Janez Tasten
Born	31 August 1897 Loka pri Mengšu, Kamnik, Slovenia
Died	7 January 1984(1984-01-07) (aged 86) Zadar, Croatia
Nationality	Slovene
Notable work	Dvije duše razgovaraju (Two souls talking) Križni put (Stations of the Cross)
Style	watercolor painting
Movement	expressionism[1][2]

Biohraphy

He was born in village Loka pri Mengšu near Kamnik in northern Slovenia. He moved to Croatia as a teenager to become a Franciscan. His monk name was Benedict.^[4]

Before World War I he lived in a monastery on Košljun, a tiny island near Krk. He fought on Italian Front in Tirol and Duchy of Styria.^[4] After World War I, in 1920, he deserted and escape to Dubrovnik where he took the name Ambroz.^[1]

He lived two years in Cavtat monastery, where he learned painting from Vlaho Bukovac,^[2] famous Croatian painter who had his workroom there.^[1][4]

He also learned watercolor painting from Maksimilijan Vanka.^[2] In 1929 he moved to Pelješac, where he got to know Celestin Medović.^[4]

From 1939 to 1961 he lived in a monastery on island Krapanj then in St. Bernardine monastery in Kampor on island Rab where he painted a lot of his famous works. Since 1989. there is a permanent exhibition of his works there. After World War II, he shortly lived in Šibenik.

He died in Zadar on 7 January 1984.^[2]