Jozo Kljaković
Resting (On the Beach), 1928
oil on canvas
103.7 × 144.1 cm
MG-847

Jozo Kljaković (Solin, 1889–Zagreb, 1969) was one of the most distinguished Croatian painters of the 20th century. After completing his education in Split, he studied architecture in Prague and Vienna, while furthering his artistic training under Vlaho Bukovac, Ferdinand Hodler, and at the Académie Ranson in Paris. From 1921 to 1943, he taught mural and decorative painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. His artistic oeuvre is characterised by religious and regional themes, as well as monumental wall paintings, particularly the frescoes in St Mark's Church and other sacred and public buildings. Following the Second World War, he lived in exile in Rome and Buenos Aires before returning to Zagreb in 1968. Alongside his work as a painter, he was active as an illustrator, caricaturist, and writer, leaving a significant contribution to 20th-century Croatian art.
Painted in 1928, “Resting (On the Beach)” belongs to Jozo Kljaković's mature period, during which he frequently depicted regional themes and the human figure. The composition presents a group of nude figures gathered on the seashore, with the calm sea and a distant coastline stretching across the background. The figures are modelled with solid volumes and pronounced plasticity, characteristic of Kljaković's monumental style. Warm earthy tones are harmoniously balanced with the blues of the sea and sky, creating a cohesive colour palette. The balanced composition and tranquil atmosphere emphasise the relationship between humanity and nature, reflecting the artist's interest in an idealised vision of the Mediterranean landscape and everyday life.

Text: Luciana Fuks, Museum Documentation Curator at the National Museum of Modern Art Zagreb
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb