Ivo Režek
Construction of the Sava Bridge
1939
oil, canvas
50 x 64,5 cm (72 x 86 cm)
inv. br. MG-1140

Ivo Režek (1898-1979) was a Croatian painter, graphic artist and a caricaturist. He studied at the Academy of Art in Prague under Vlaho Bukovac and graduated sum cuma laude under professor Thile, furthering his studies in Paris. From 1947 until his retirement in 1968 he taught at the Academy of Arts in Zagreb.

Režek’s oeuvre influenced Croatian painting between two world wars, characterised by high quality of work. Upon his arrival in 1931, the art scene in Zagreb was unaccustomed to Avant-garde but he persisted in his depiction of form, volume and figure. During the 1930s he painted landscapes, still lives and psychological portraits.

“Construction of Sava Bridge” from 1939 depicts the construction of the Green Railway Bridge (better known as Hendrix’s Bridge) which was built from 1936 until 1939. The unusual red color of the bridge was the color of the protective coating put during the construction which was later covered with a recognisable green hue. With short precise brushstrokes Režek painted the shore and the sky around the bridge, keeping the colors bright and vibrant.

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