Tag: 1941.

Milivoj Uzelac, Portrait of a Woman in a Striped Skirt, 1941

Milivoj Uzelac
Portrait of a Woman in a Striped Skirt, 1941
oil on canvas
136 x 93 cm
MG-2887

Milivoj Uzelac (Mostar, 1897 – Cotignac in France, 1977) was one of the key figures in Croatian modern art. He studied in Banja Luka, Zagreb, and Prague, where he refined his artistic skills. While in Prague, he developed close relationships with several influential contemporaries, including Vilko Gecan (Kuželj near Brod na Kupi, 1894 – Zagreb, 1973), Marijan Trepše (Zagreb, 1897 – 1964), and Vladimir Varlaj (Zagreb, 1895 – 1962). Together, they became known as the “Prague Four,” representing the new expressionist movement in Croatia. After returning from Prague in 1919, Uzelac spent only a few years working in Zagreb. In 1923, he left Croatia and settled in France, where he drew inspiration from major European art movements such as Fauvism, Expressionism, and Cubism. Although he lived and worked in France, Uzelac regularly exhibited in Croatia and significantly influenced the new generation of Croatian interwar painters.
Milivoj Uzelac’s artistic work in France after the 1930s is characterised by a fusion of colour, form, and emotion. His 1941 painting Portrait of a Woman in a Striped Skirt is notable for its modernist approach, with touches of realism. The composition centres on a woman seated with a slightly hunched posture and her hands folded. Her pensive expression adds a layer of introspection and quiet intimacy. Uzelac uses shadows to darken her face, which enhances the emotional depth and mystery of the portrait. The long striped skirt, featuring a dynamic mix of green, pink, and white tones, dominates the image, giving it rhythm. The background is a simple blue, while the floor, in red and orange hues, introduces warmth and a striking visual contrast that further highlights the woman’s figure. In this work, Uzelac skilfully balances decorative elements with emotional resonance. His bold use of colour, thoughtful composition, and the intimate mood of the painting combine to create a portrait that radiates both serenity and an underlying tension. These qualities are representative of Uzelac’s later portraiture, a phase in which his painting reached full maturity and expressive strength.

Text: Luciana Fuks, Curatorial Assistant, National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

Gabrijel Stupica, Self-portrait with a Friend, 1941

Gabrijel Stupica
Self-portrait with a Friend, 1941
oil on wood
61.5 x 54 cm
MG-1754

Gabrijel Stupica (1913 – 1990) was born in Dražgoš, Slovenia. he began studying painting in 1931 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb and graduated in 1936 in the class of Professor Ljuba Babić. He lived and worked in Zagreb for ten years before being appointed professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana in 1946.
"Self-Portrait with a Friend" shows Stupica's technical and stylistic skills and reflects his personal and professional life in Zagreb during the 1930s and 1940s. The picture shows two men; the author, Gabrijel Stupica, looks towards the observer, and the other man, a friend, is placed in the background and partially hidden by the shadow. The composition is dark tones, with accentuated contrasts of light and shadow. The palette of colors and techniques are reminiscent of the works of old masters, especially those from the Spanish "Golden Age," which significantly influenced Stupica. We date the work to when Stupica was demobilized (during the Second World War), which can further explain the severe tone and reflective nature. Through dark tones, complex composition, and psychological depth, Stupica conveys his introspection and the influence of the cultural milieu of that time. he takes a portrait with a friend, breaking traditional gender norms, often excluding emotional closeness between men in art. The depiction of two men in a complex emotional dynamic explores the layers of female friendship, support, and intimacy.

Text: Marta Radman, curator of the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Translated by: Marta Radman
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

Pavao Perić, Girls, 1941

Pavao Perić
(1907-1978)
Girls, 1941
terracotta
MG-1440

Pavao Perić graduated in 1927 from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, where he was taught by leading Croatian sculptors of the time, and was most influenced by sculptors Robert Frangeš-Mihanović and Frano Kršinić.

Perić sculpted in terracotta, bronze, stone and wood. He modelled a series of small female sculptures of local features mostly in terracotta, while in bronze and stone he sculpted many realistic and lyrical female portraits and memorial monuments. Inspired by archaic forms, he also tried his hand at wooden reliefs and sculptures. His original and rounded sculptural oeuvre is indisputably part of the tradition of modern Croatian sculpture.

Having modelled them either more expressively or more gracefully in typical poses, Pavao Perić developed his original sculptural concept best in his series of terracotta sculptures of women from the region of Dalmatian Zagora featuring accentuated volumes and gestures. In his Girls sculpture from 1941, Perić modelled two rural girls transforming them into refined small figurines of folklore idealisation, featuring long and richly pleated dresses, and beautified faces. In a contrapposto pose, the two girls exude an aura of calm inner concentration and youthful rapture.

Text: Tatijana Gareljić, museum consultant of the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Translated by: Ana Janković
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb