Klovićevi dvori Gallery: Retrospective Exhibition of Ivan Meštrović

The retrospective exhibition of Ivan Meštrović (1883, Vrpolje – 1962, South Bend), to take place from 22 November 2023 to 3 March 2024 in the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery, is a first-class cultural event. It gives a chance to visitors and experts to see around two hundred art pieces, among which some that have remained unknown or less familiar and belong to all stages of the artist’s life and work. They were gathered from museums, galleries, churches and private collections in Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Great Britain and the United States.

This exhibition, organised by the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery and the Ivan Meštrović Museums, marks the 140^th anniversary of birth of this world – famous sculptor, architect, painter and writer. He is considered one of the greatest personas of world art in the first half of the 20^th century.

His pieces adorn numerous public spaces around the world. One of the most famous pieces is the impressive, monumental sculpture entitled Indians, which is located at the very centre of Chicago. Meštrović’ piece The Girl with Lyre is exhibited in the building of the United Nations in New York, which pays special tribute to the sculptor.

Even though a citizen of the world, Ivan Meštrović remained emotionally attached to his homeland and donated a priceless artistic treasure to Croatian people in a charter.

Streets of Zagreb, the city in which the artist lived and worked for two decades, are a unique display of his work in public space. One of the city symbols, the Well of Life, is located in front of the Croatian National Theatre in the square where it was put up in 1912. The History of Croats, another art piece by Meštrović, is a sculpture with a sign in Glagolitic script which shows a caring mother and a keeper of national heritage and identity.

There are numerous other sculptures in the public space of Zagreb; a monument dedicated to inventor Nikola Tesla, another to the renowned bishop and representative of Enlightenment Josip Juraj Strossmayer, and one to scientist Ruđer Bošković, just to mention some. Meštrović’ sculptures can also be seen in churches, in front of public institutions and at the most famous cemetery in Zagreb, Mirogoj. One conspicuous symbol of Zagreb’s architecture, the building of the Croatian Association of Visual Artists, built in 1938, is also signed by Meštrović. Citizens of Zagreb often refer to it as Meštrović’ pavilion to honour the author. His sacral art pieces are located in the Church of Christ the King in the neighbourhood of Trnje and in the famous parish church of St. Mark in the Upper Town where he made sculptures and a relief.

All this makes Zagreb a city with a strong and memorable signature of this great and world -renowned artist. The city honours him with a significant and very valuable retrospective exhibition to celebrate his 140^th birthday.