Ján Grotkovský was born on 24th January 1902 in the Russian town of Kazimir and died on 3rd June 1961 Košice. He received essential education in fine arts in 1926 – 1927 in the class of Dezider Orosz. In 1934 – 1938 he studied at the private class of E. Halász-Hradil. He worked as and shop assistant and after 1950 as a freelance painter and artist. He had individual exhibitions in Žilina (1938) and Prešov (1960). He mainly painted landscapes, occasionally he tapped into other genres, such as figural painting and still life. His paintings are characterised by veristic points of departure, in landscapes he paints in plein air, his diction is colour-sensible, lyrical, even melancholic refraction of colourfulness and the effort to deliver a true account of the depicted nature despite certain formal stylisation. From the iconographic perspective, Ján Grotkovský mainly explored eastern Slovakia from High Tatras to the East-Slovakian basin. The most extensive series of his paintings is dedicated to High Tatras in various seasons of the year and diverse atmospheric condition. Grotkovský belongs among the sought-after authors of collectors of paintings themed with High Tatras. Bibliography: Váross, M.: Slovenské výtvarné umenie 1918 – 1945. Bratislava 1960, s. 164; Groško, I.: Maliarstvo 19. and 20. storočia na východnom Slovensku. Košice 1973, s. 58; Vízdalová-Haščáková, G.: Profily. Košice 1972.