Ivan Cankar (Vrhnika, 10 May 1876- Ljubljana, 11 December 1918) was a famous Slovenian writer.

The son of a village taylor, he studied architecture in Vienna, and lived some time as a freelance writer in this city.

He wrote around 30 books and represented the Slovene modernity. Among others, he wrote "Grešnik Lenart" (Sinner Lenart), and his most famous work, "Hlapci" (Servants), is often quoted in Slovenia.

Cankar is at the century-shift one of the most important European writers, and turned himself to social, national and moral themes.

Despite being part of most European literary currents, his work is neverthless very individual. Cankar influenced the tought about the Slovene national question, and proposed the national emancipation of the Slovenes within an union of the Southern Slav peoples. His story "Hlapec Jernej in njegova pravica" (The Servant Jernej and his Right) was translated in several languages.

His hometown Vrhnika (20km from Ljubljana) boast a museum dedicated to him. Next to France Prešeren, Ivan Cankar is the most famous writer of Slovenia.

The collected works of Cankar were published by Cankarjeva založba in Ljubljana.