Category: Discover-Archive

Bela Čikoš Sesija, Study for Dead Watch, 1896

Bela Čikoš Sesija
(1864–1931)
Study for Dead Watch, 1896
Oil on canvas
70.5 × 160.5 cm
MG-509

In Study for Dead Watch, Bela Čikoš Sesija presents a female figure draped in a translucent veil, resting in complete stillness—almost floating in the silence of the canvas. The pose of the body, the closed eyes, and the soft light that blends seamlessly with the delicate background tones suggest not only physical absence but a transition between life and death. The transparent veil, rendered with remarkable precision and softness, evokes a sense of fragility, vulnerability, and eternal sleep.
This study represents a synthesis of Symbolism and academic Realism: on one hand, the refined execution of the figure and fabric reflects the artist’s technical mastery and rigorous training at the Vienna Academy; on the other, the choice of subject and the compositional serenity introduce a strong metaphysical and emotional dimension. The painted surface is treated with delicate brushstrokes, creating an impression of a flickering, almost otherworldly presence.
Bela Čikoš Sesija was a skilled draftsman and painter who, throughout his prolific career, explored historical, literary, and mythological themes. However, his sensitivity is particularly evident in studies and intimate compositions. He was one of the key figures of Croatian Modernism and a co-founder of the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. Works like this one testify to his ability to merge classical painterly discipline with a modern symbolic expression.

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

Zlatko Bourek, Fresh Bread, 1966

Zlatko Bourek
Fresh Bread, 1966
oil on canvas and fibreboard
85 x 70 cm
MG-4429

Zlatko Bourek (1929–2018) was a quintessential homo ludens of Croatian figurative painting and sculpture. A multitalented artist, Bourek worked successfully across caricature, illustration, drawing, stage and costume design, as well as directing both animated and live-action films and theatre productions.
Since 1963, his paintings—crafted through a stream-of-consciousness approach—reveal an unconventional style of fantastic realism and surrealism, rich in grotesque imagery, irony, humor, folklore, and often erotic elements. His 1966 painting Fresh Bread is a vivid, color-saturated phantasmagoria—a kaleidoscope of figures, objects, and hybrid forms that reflect a sublimation of instincts, including a joyful ode to a simple loaf of fresh bread.
Bourek’s visual language was grounded in his deep knowledge of traditional folk art, Japanese puppet theatre, German Expressionism, and New Objectivity. He graduated in sculpture, painting, and metalwork at the Academy of Applied Arts in 1955 (under Kosta Angeli Radovani).
From 1954 onward, Bourek was continuously involved in animation. He was one of the founding members of the Zagreb School of Animated Film and a key representative of its painterly stream. Beginning in 1960, he created animated films based on his own scripts, such as The Blacksmith’s Apprentice (1961), And I Saw Distant Foggy Marshes (1964), Bećarac (1966), and The Cat (1971).
Since 1988, he was a permanent member of the Hans Wurst Nachfahren Theater in Berlin, where he directed four Chekhov one-acts, Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, and the farce Rigoletto. In 1977, he directed the puppet farce Orlando maleroso in Dubrovnik. His acclaimed production of Hamlet with Zagreb’s ITD Theatre toured major international theatre festivals to great success.
Bourek received numerous awards throughout his career and became a full member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) in 2010.

Text: Željko Marciuš, Museum Advisor, National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

Ferdo Kovačević, Willows on the Sava, 1913

Ferdo Kovačević
Willows on the Sava, 1913
Oil on canvas
66.3 × 91 cm
MG-461

After completing the School of Crafts in Zagreb, Ferdo Kovačević (1870–1927) went on to study painting at the School of Arts and Crafts in Vienna under Karl Karger. He was one of the founders of the Society of Croatian Artists in 1897 and exhibited at the Croatian Salon in 1898. He took part in Izidor Kršnjavi’s program to decorate the building of the Department of Religion and Education and the then National and University Library (today the Croatian State Archives), painting cityscapes of Croatian towns above the doorways (supraportes). From 1905, he worked as a professor at the School of Crafts in Zagreb, and from 1917 also at the Academy of Fine Arts. He was a corresponding member of the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts (JAZU). Since 1894, he exhibited with Vlaho Bukovac’s circle and also took part in exhibitions organized by Lada and the Croatian Art Society.
This horizontal-format painting depicts a landscape along the Sava River. The composition is horizontally divided into two equally sized fields: the sky and the grassy ground. In the middle of the image, from left to right along the riverbank, vertical willow trees without leaves are painted. The color palette is subdued. The grass is rendered in greenish-yellow and brown tones, while the sky and river appear in greyish-blue hues with whitish clouds. After his early works, which were marked by a Symbolist style, Kovačević turned toward plein air painting and realism under the influence of Bukovac. His oeuvre is characterized by countless variations on the theme of the Sava River’s continental landscape. Willows on the Sava (1913) presents a balanced, almost symmetrical composition of leafless willows lining the riverbank on a clear day. The golden light suggests late afternoon, while the striking colors of the yellow-green grass and leaden sky evoke the crispness of autumn or early spring.

Text: Ivana Rončević Elezović, Phd Museum Advisor at the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

Nina Ivančić, Graphic Portfolio “Otklon” (Deviation), 1994

Nina Ivančić
Graphic Portfolio “Otklon” (Deviation), 1994
silkscreen on paper
67 x 46 cm
MG-7303

Nina Ivančić (b. 1953) is one of the most distinctive postmodern painters in Croatia. Through a variety of stylistic approaches, her work explores the form, technique, and meaning of painting itself. In her early works, starting in 1977, she developed a deep sensitivity to the material, technique, and visual language of painting, characterized by an analytical-critical approach in which symbols are both subject to erosion and indicative of the emerging postmodern image (B. Majstorović).
She is among the key figures of the New Image movement in Croatian painting. Her solo exhibitions Sun and Nocturnal Idyll in the early 1980s coincided with this artistic shift. Her paintings from this period are spontaneous, non-illusionistic, and rich in color and visual references.
After receiving a Fulbright scholarship for painting (MFA Program in Painting, Columbia University, New York), Ivančić lived and worked in New York from 1986 to 1993. Her later work reflects a more reduced, composed approach, emphasizing minimalism and geometric form.
In the 1990s, she began painting depersonalized motifs of ships and later airplanes—icon-like forms derived from technical manuals. These mechanically precise objects are devoid of narrative and realism, acting as simulations of simulations. Such is the case with Otklon, a portfolio of 14 silkscreen prints where visual expression is stripped of emotion and individuality. The ships appear as objective representations—digitally generated, mechanically imprinted forms that resist expressive interpretation, placed within the wider context of modern iconolatry.
Ivančić graduated in painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb (Š. Perić) in 1977 and earned her postgraduate degree in 1979 under Lj. Ivančić and N. Reiser. Since 1999, she has been a professor at the Academy of Arts in Split. She has held over thirty solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group shows both in Croatia and internationally. Her works are represented in many private and public collections. Ivančić has received multiple awards for her artistic achievements.

Text: Željko Marciuš, Museum Advisor, National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

Oton Postružnik, Composition II, 1966

Oton Postružnik
Composition II, 1966
oil on canvas
88 × 115 cm
MG-2664

Oton Postružnik (Maribor, 1900 – Zagreb, 1978) is considered one of the most important figures of modern Croatian art. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb and later refined his skills in Prague and Paris. Postružnik began his artistic career as a member of the “Zemlja” group, known for its socially engaged art. In the postwar period, he emerged as a pioneer of lyrical abstraction in Croatia.
From the 1950s onward, his work evolved into a reduction of figuration into flat signs, pure color, and compositional radiance. His painting began to reflect a unique synthesis of form and color, often characterized by organic shapes and a refined sense of color harmony.
The painting Composition II from 1966 exemplifies the style of abstracted colorist figuration, where the artist's freehand approach is brought to life through vivid hues and expressive colorism. Deeply connected to nature, Postružnik transforms stylized figurative elements into abstract forms that suggest space rather than define it. Dominating the center of the composition are two stylized shapes in purple and orange tones, contrasting with a dynamic background imbued with earthy hues and a rhythmic sequence of blue circles.
Inspired by natural motifs, Postružnik’s work during this period is defined by lyrical abstraction and stylized forms that delicately balance between the figurative and the abstract.

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

Ante Dabro, Genesis, 2007–2009

Ante Dabro
1938
Genesis, 2007–2009
bronze, cast
59 × 31 × 23 cm
MG-7414

Croatian-Australian sculptor Ante Dabro attended the School of Applied Arts in Split from 1953 to 1958. Between 1958 and 1967, he worked as an assistant and collaborator in the studio of Dušan Džamonja in Zagreb. From 1960 to 1964, he studied sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, graduating under Antun Augustinčić. He later joined Augustinčić’s Master Workshop as an associate. In 1967, Dabro won first prize at the sculpture symposium in Bihać for his work Mourners. That same year, he emigrated to Australia, becoming a citizen in 1971 and later teaching at Canberra University for a period.
Dabro's sculptural expression is marked by monumentality and expressiveness, with a strong emphasis on the purity of form in figuration. While he experimented with various materials, bronze remains his most recognisable medium. He began exhibiting in 1964 in Zagreb and went on to participate in numerous group and solo exhibitions across Australia and internationally. Today, Dabro holds a prominent place in contemporary Australian sculpture, with his works housed in many public institutions and private collections. His monumental Monument to the Royal Australian Navy in Canberra, commissioned in the mid-1980s following a national competition, affirms his significance in Australia's cultural heritage.
Dabro’s sculptures are known for their angular, expressive forms and recurring motifs of the nude human figure. They often explore universal aspects of the human condition—suffering, hope, sexuality, heroism, and spirituality—infused with the perspective of an outsider.
Genesis is a dynamic group composition of a man and woman locked in an erotic embrace. Their bodies twist diagonally, with heads thrown back and a raised arm accentuating the movement of the gesture. The faceted carving and solid volumes reflect the influence of the Augustinčić school. In contrast to the sharply treated bodies, the faces are more softly modelled and expressive.
The sculpture was donated to the museum and represents the second of a total of six casts. The remaining editions are held in private collections. A large-scale version of this work is installed as a public monument at Canberra International Airport.

Text: Tatijana Gareljić, Museum Advisor, National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

Josip Račić, In the Park, 1908

Josip Račić
In the Park, 1908
watercolour on paper
27.5 × 21 cm
MG-764

After completing his education in Zagreb, Josip Račić (1885–1908) left for Vienna in 1904, and soon after moved to Munich to attend the school of Anton Ažbe. In 1905, he also spent time in Berlin. That same year, he enrolled in the drawing school of the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, studying under Johann and Ludwig Herterich as well as Hugo von Habermann. His request for a scholarship from the Croatian government was declined. While in Munich, he associated closely with fellow Croatian artists Vladimir Becić, Miroslav Kraljević, and Oskar Herman. Within the Academy, the group came to be known as Die Kroatische Schule (The Croatian School). Račić spent the final year of his life, 1908, in Paris, where he created a number of significant works.

The watercolour In the Park (1908) belongs to a series of genre scenes depicting everyday life in Paris. Through the translucent layering characteristic of the watercolour technique, a sense of lightness and airiness is achieved. The composition, resembling a photographic snapshot, captures an intimate moment of social interaction—a group of figures, dressed in pastel and black tones, gathered in a circle and engaged in quiet conversation. The scene is imbued with a gentle atmosphere of intimacy and calm, set within the greenery of a park—an oasis of tranquillity amid the bustle of the modern city.

Text: Ivana Rončević Elezović PhD, museum advisor at the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

Ivo Kerdić, The Goldsmith’s Treasure, 1928.

Ivo Kerdić
(1881–1953)
The Goldsmith’s Treasure, 1928.
bronze, cast
30 × 6 × 6 cm
MG-675

Ivo Kerdić, a prominent Croatian sculptor and medallist, was educated in Zagreb and Vienna, where he received the annual award for composition in 1910. In 1913, at the invitation of Robert Frangeš-Mihanović, he returned to Zagreb to head the Art Foundry at the Academy of Fine Arts. From 1923 to 1947, he taught metalworking at the same institution.
Although active in various sculptural disciplines, Kerdić achieved his greatest success in medal art, which he established as a distinct artistic form in Croatia. His early works, created during his studies, bear strong influences of the Secession style (e.g., Vera Pija Pilar), while in his Zagreb period, he embraced realism, with a focus on the psychological portrayal of his subjects (e.g., Vladimir Becić, J. J. Strossmayer, Ivan Meštrović). The reverse sides of his medals often feature allegorical scenes, skilfully combining classical symbols with traditional Croatian motifs.
In addition to medals and small-scale sculpture, Kerdić also created larger works (e.g., The Kiss, 1912; The Goldsmith’s Treasure, Kamenita vrata (The Stone Gate), Zagreb, 1929), numerous portraits (e.g., Nada Martić-Martek, 1914; Ante Starčević, 1940), and allegorical tomb monuments (e.g., Dr. Milan Ogrizović, 1924). His sacred art holds a special place within his oeuvre, including altars for St. Blaise’s Church in Zagreb and the Church of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Jerusalem.
Kerdić was also active in applied arts, crafting decorative objects in precious metals—pitchers, trays, ashtrays—as well as jewellery, such as the rector’s chain of the University of Zagreb and the chain of the Grand Master of the Brethren of the Croatian Dragon.
The bronze sculpture The Goldsmith’s Treasure is a study of Dora Krupićeva, the daughter of a goldsmith and central character in the novel of the same name by August Šenoa. The sculpture was installed in 1929 in a niche on the building of the Brethren of the Croatian Dragon at Kamenita vrata (The Stone Gate) in Zagreb.
Dora is portrayed standing, wearing a long, form-fitting dress with long sleeves and a rounded neckline. Her feminine form is accentuated by a gentle contrapposto: the right leg bent at the knee, the left extended, with her foot just visible beneath the folds of the hem. Her head tilts slightly to the right, with a soft, faint smile on her face. Her hair is neatly arranged and braided. In her left hand, at hip height, she holds a casket, while the right hand holds a key—symbols of her virtue and fate. The sculpture’s surface is smooth, with flowing, lyrical lines from the waist downward. The pedestal bears the engraved title: THE GOLDSMITH’S TREASURE.

Text: Tatijana Gareljić, Museum Advisor, National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

Vjekoslav Karas, Portrait of a Boy, 1852–1856

Vjekoslav Karas
Portrait of a Boy, 1852–1856
oil on canvas
68.8 × 55.1 cm
MG-71

Vjekoslav Karas (1821–1858), one of the key figures of Croatian 19th-century painting, was the first artist from northern Croatia to receive academic training in Italy. After studying in the studio of Giovanni Francesco Corsi in Florence, he continued his development in Siena and Rome, where he also composed music and wrote poetry in both Croatian and Italian.
Following his return to Croatia in 1848, Karas worked mainly between Zagreb and Karlovac. His style blends elements of Classicism, Nazarene Romanticism, and Biedermeier Realism, with a particular focus on portraiture—often unsigned.
Portrait of a Boy stands out as one of his most accomplished works. The young sitter is shown full-length, facing frontally, with a gentle smile and a direct gaze. Earthy tones dominate the composition, while soft lighting from the left accentuates the figure’s presence. The painting is among the earliest examples of psychological portraiture in Croatian art.
Despite his short life, Karas's legacy endures through a body of work that significantly shaped the course of national painting in the 19th century.

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

Vladimir Becić, Bosnian Man Digging, 1918.

Vladimir Becić
(1886 – 1954)
Bosnian Man Digging, 1918
oil on canvas
76 × 65 cm
MG-860

In Bosnian Man Digging, Vladimir Becić depicts a man caught mid-movement during physical labor, bent toward the ground in a dynamic yet intimate gesture. The composition is simple, focused on the human figure and its action, rendered in a rich, earthy color palette. The artist uses bold but controlled brushstrokes to emphasize the volume of the body and the physical exertion involved in the task. While the scene carries no overt drama, it holds deep symbolism—celebrating manual labor, the human body, and the connection between man and land. This subject, frequent in Becić’s later work, reflects his interest in rural life and peasant figures, grounded in reality and free of idealization.
Becić’s art is consistently centered on the human figure and solid form. In his early period, he painted under the influence of the Munich School and old masters like Velázquez and Manet, employing a muted palette with strong contrasts of light and shadow. Later, inspired by Cézanne, he developed a Cézannist approach: constructing volume through facets and tonal modulation, particularly in his landscapes and portraits. Over time, his palette lightened, compositions opened up, and forms remained grounded—conveying a sense of mass and presence. His mature style reflects a balance between rational structure and emotional authenticity.
Vladimir Becić was one of the key figures of Croatian modernism. He studied in Zagreb, Munich, and Paris, and was part of the famed Munich Circle with Račić, Kraljević, and Herman. As a war correspondent and illustrator during World War I, he produced a powerful body of drawings and photographs, capturing the realities of wartime. After the war, he settled in Blažuj near Sarajevo, where he developed a personal expression rooted in Cézannist structure and local themes. From 1924, he taught at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, where he influenced a generation of younger artists and helped shape the course of modernism in Croatian art. His work is marked by consistency, humanistic sensitivity, and formal refinement.

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