Gustav (Haueise) Likan
(1910–1998)
Memory of Dalmatia, 1990
acrylic on canvas
50 × 71 cm
MG – 6231

In Memory of Dalmatia, Gustav Likan evokes a Mediterranean atmosphere through a decoratively composed depiction of a summer seaside terrace. Dominant motifs such as tables under umbrellas, palm trees, and human figures are rhythmically arranged in a space that suggests tranquility and nostalgia. Intense colors, simplified forms, and strong contrasts are characteristic of Likan’s mature period. The palette is dominated by purples, reds, greens, and blues, while stylized figures and objects contribute to the atmosphere of imagined memory.
The painting retains a narrative potential and figurative clarity, yet its flattened space and decorative use of color bring it close to the poetics of coloristic expressionism. Likan does not depict a scene as a literal record of what is seen, but rather as an emotional echo of the space of childhood and belonging. Hovering between dream and reality, this work evokes the Mediterranean identity and warmth of a place that remained an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the artist.
Gustav Likan studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and worked in Zagreb, Salzburg, Buenos Aires, and the United States. In his early work, he drew on the painting traditions of the old masters, while after moving to America he developed a distinctive colorist style based on acrylic surfaces of vivid colors and stylized forms. He was active as a painter, educator, and illustrator, and his works are preserved in numerous Croatian and international collections.

Text: Lorena Šimić, curator / museum educator at the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb