Jozef Bendík was born on 14th February, 1903 in Prešov and died on 23rd March, 1989 in Prešov. After finishing the study at the Technical School of Wood-working in Prešov (1919) he worked as a labourer. In his leisure time, he was a dedicated drawer and painter, following the expert advice of M. Jordan, E. Rákosi and J. Török. In 1924 – 1927, Bendík studied at the School of Applied Arts in Prague under professors J. Benda, V. Mašek, J. Schusser and A. Hofbauer. From 1927 to 1931, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague under professor J. Obrovský. In Prague, he devoted himself to figurative creation with motifs of circus artists, beggars and unemployed Romani people. Beside the figurative creation, he also painted landscapes. In 1931 – 1932 he received a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Rome (professor C. Calcagnodor). Here, Bendík created a great number of compositions with original atmosphere of little streets at the outskirts of Rome and the antique sights. After the study in Rome, he lived in Prague for a certain period. In 1939 he returned to Prešov, where he worked as a professor of drawing and art at the local secondary school. Later he participated in establishing the Department od Art at the FF UPJŠ. (Philosophical Faculty of P.J. Šafárik) In 1961 – 1973 he was the Head of Department. He had not had an independent exhibition until 1988. Jozef Bendík freely belongs to Generation 1909, even if he is not in its main core (similarly to Eugen Lehotský, Vladimír Droppa, Ľudovít Kudlák, Juraj Collinássy, Jozef Ilečko, or Lea Mrázová). His work only subtly outlines the adequate handling of shape between sensual and visual reality, its styled mimesis and formal move towards the autonomous aesthetic order of the image. Basically, however, it is based on the impressive-expressive emphasis of the painting process. Bibliography: Váross, M.: Slovenské výtvarné umenie 1918 – 1945. Bratislava 1960