Sudmalis Jānis

Born on 28 November 1887 in the family of the craftsmen of Aizpute County’s Elkuzeme parish. From 1900 to 1903, he studied at the Liepāja Amateur Society Evening School. From 1904 to 1907, took time as an apprentice at Mejiers typography in Liepāja, in 1909 had same position at J.Rozentāls studio in Rīga, and from 1911 to 1915, in the fabric adornment department of the Stiglitz Technical Drawing School in St. Petersburg.

From 1919, he worked in Liepāja. In the same year, he participated in the founding of the Liepāja Latvian Society for the Promotion of the Arts, and in the 1919-1940s, was its first chairman. Participated in art exhibitions from the 1920s.

Co-founder and treasurer of the Liepāja Museum. From 1923 to 1958, the head of the museum. Participated in the foundation of the Liepāja Applied-Arts School, the later Arts High School. Developed study programs and taught classes (1926-1940), and in 1940-1941 and 1945-1948 was the School’s principal.

Jānis Sudmalis studied Latvian folk art, restored the traditions of amber processing, took photographs, collected Kurzeme ethnographic material, and participated in archaeological expeditions. Since 1921, he was engaged in painting, mainly painted landscapes, quiet nature, still life, portraits painted in the style of strict realism. He wrote articles about art in the Liepāja and Rīga periodicals.