Tag: Nasta Rojc

Nasta Rojc, Horsewoman – Self-Portrait, 1922

Nasta Rojc
(1883.-1964.)
Horsewoman – Self-Portrait, 1922
oil on canvas
107 x 127 cm
MG-547

In the painting Horsewoman – Self-Portrait, Nasta Rojc depicts herself in a dark riding outfit, serious and dignified, next to a powerfully built horse whose head dominates the central part of the composition. The artist's gaze is direct and firm, almost defiant, as she tightly holds the reins, a symbol of control and determination. The dark palette and classical composition emphasize the gravity and elegance of the scene. By choosing an equestrian theme and portraying herself as a horsewoman, Rojc expresses not only personal independence but also a challenge to the social norms of femininity and women’s roles in art and society of the time. This self-portrait is a powerful statement of identity and a woman’s place in a traditionally male domain.
In her work, Nasta Rojc often combined a realistic approach with strong symbolic meaning. Her portraits and self-portraits, especially of women, convey a clear desire for self-definition, equality, and inner strength. She painted in the spirit of post-impressionism and symbolism, with a particular focus on the psychological depth of her subjects and the ambient mood. Her palette was rich yet restrained, and her compositions deliberate and stable, highlighting the dignity of the figures she portrayed.
Nasta Rojc was one of the most important Croatian female painters of the first half of the 20th century. She received her artistic education in Zagreb, Munich, and Vienna, and lived and worked between Croatia and abroad. She was among the few women of her era to pursue a professional career in painting, and through both her work and character, she challenged and expanded the visibility of women in the arts. In 1927, with fellow artists, she co-founded the Club of Women Artists, the first artistic association in Croatia composed exclusively of women—painters, sculptors, and applied artists.

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

Nasta Rojc, Female Portrait, 1913

Nasta Rojc
Female Portrait, 1913
oil on canvas
126.7 x 99.8 cm
MG-546

Nasta Rojc (1883–1964) studied painting under Oton Iveković in Zagreb and at the Academy in Munich from 1903 to 1907, with professors Heinrich Knirr and Hugo von Habermann. During her time there, she interacted with Miroslav Kraljević, Josip Račić, and Vladimir Becić, so her artwork can potentially be interpreted within the context of the so-called Munich Circle. Between 1907 and 1910, she resided in Vienna, studying painting under Ludwig Michalek and Friedrich König. Upon her return to Zagreb, she resumed working in the private studio of Oton Iveković. She spent the years 1926/27 in London and Reading. She held solo exhibitions in Vienna, Zagreb, and London. During this period, she also took part in exhibitions organised by the Croatian Society of Arts, Lada Association, the Women’s Art Club, the Little Entente of Women, and others. She was married to the painter Branko Šenoa. Together with Lina Virant Crnčić, she was instrumental in co-founding the Women’s Art Club in Zagreb in 1928. Beyond the artistic quality of her work, Nasta Rojc made significant contributions to the emancipation of women in the arts in Croatia.
Rendered in a dark palette, with lighter flesh tones highlighting the face and hands – bare up to the elbows and folded in the lap – this evocative portrait of a young woman captures the Symbolist atmosphere of the turn of the century. The expression’s intensity is amplified by the straightforward, symmetrical composition, featuring a seated female figure centrally positioned and depicted frontally, with a piercing gaze confidently directed at the observer.

Text: Ivana Rončević Elezović PhD, museum consultant of the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb