‘Vestal Virgin’, a bronze sculpture from 1917 in the Ivan Mestrovic Gallery in Split
The gallery, just outside Split, is housed in a villa originally designed by Mestrovic himself. It was built in 1931, and the artist lived and worked here until 1941. Ten years later he donated the property, together with 132 works of art, to the state, which now, through the Ivan Mestrovic Foundation, manages the gallery, together with several other properties.
a collection of bronzes in one of the rooms of the gallery
The gallery exhibits mostly sculptures, and some paintings and drawings. The largest part is inside, distributed over two floors, but many of my favourites are outside in the sculpture garden, where the rainy weather helps bringing out the best of the bronzes.
A little further down the road is the restored chapel Kaštelet-Crikvine, that houses a set of wooden wall panels carved by Ivan Mestrovic. Equally impressive.
Just a small selection.
then: Trogir
‘Head of the Virgin’ (1946, bronze)
‘Head of Mary Magdalena’ (1946, bronze)
one of my absolute favourites, ‘Girl Dancer’ (1927, bronze)
same sculpture, the head and buste in detail
‘Mother Pledging her Child’ (1927, marble)
same sculpture, the face in detail
outside in the garden, ‘Woman with Lute’ (bronze)
and this one, a reclining nude (bronze)
and yet another reclining woman (bronze)
and a detail of the face, like so many others very peaceful
a wooden cross in the chapel (1916, walnut wood)
and another one, familiar scene
a detail of one of the wooden panels
another detail of a panel
and this one, showing great detail
