THE TANOVI HOUSE – Bečej

THE TANOVI HOUSE – Bečej

At the beginning of the current Braće Tan Street, at numbers 5–7 on the right side heading toward the town center, stands the Tanovi House, the birthplace of the notable Tan brothers, Karolj and Mor. The Government of Serbia has recently declared the Tanovi House a cultural monument.

The Tan family arrived in Bečej in 1826 from the interior of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Their father, Janoš Tan, was a senior officer clerk in the district, and their mother, Otilija Sečenji Šrot, raised their ten children. Mor was the second child, and Karolj the fifth.

Mor Tan was born in Bečej in 1828. He completed primary school in Bečej; the appearance of this school, once located where today the department store stands, can be seen on old postcards. He continued his education in Kalocsa, Hungary, where he graduated from high school, and later studied law in Pest. However, he soon discovered his inclination for painting.

Alongside his legal studies, Mor began painting under the guidance of master Mikloš Barbaš. Recognizing his talent, he moved to Vienna to fully dedicate himself to art. There, he studied under the renowned Reihl Nukpelniesel and adopted the Viennese painting style, remaining a committed academic painter throughout his life. Mor became known for historical scenes, religious paintings, and portraits. He also served as director of the Picture Gallery at the National Museum in Pest.

Due to health issues, in 1897 he moved to Italy with his wife Karolina Paganini and daughter Irma. He died in Trieste on March 11, 1899, at the age of 71. Some of his works, still in Vojvodina, include altarpieces and church paintings in Bečej, Gornji Grad, the local cemetery chapel, Srbobran, Mali Iđoš, Subotica, and Sombor, as well as pieces in the Matica Srpska Gallery and the Museum of Vojvodina. One of his works, “Conquest of the Homeland” (1870), was lost in a fire during World War I. Mor gained international attention at the 1867 World Exhibition with his painting “Fata Morgana.”

Karolj Tan was born in 1834. Like his older brother, he completed primary school in Bečej, then trained as a pharmacist, and studied chemistry in Heidelberg. From 1862, he became a professor at the university in Budapest, fully dedicating himself to science. He became a prominent chemist of his era, making discoveries ahead of his time. One chemical composition of mineral waters carries his name. Karolj was founder and president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, founder of the journal “Hungarian Chemistry,” and established the first Chemical Institute at the University of Pest. He was an honorary citizen of Bečej, and a pharmacy once bore his name. He received multiple awards for his contributions to chemistry and died in Budapest in 1908.

Visits by appointment only.

Source: Tourist Organization of Bečej Municipality.

Braće Tan Street 5-7. Bečej
+381 (0)21 69 10 404
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