Meštrović′s Crikvine - Kaštilac 7 Day Weather Forecast

Attractions in Split, Croatia.

Ivan Meštrović (1883, Vrpolje, Croatia – 1962, South Bend, Indiana, USA) is one of the greatest Croatian artists who expressed himself as a sculptor, painter, architect and writer. His origins lead to a poor family from Dalmatian hinterland which recognized his talent and sent him to a stonecutter′s workshop in Split. In 1900. Meštrović went to Wiena at the well of new Secession style where he also created under strong Rodin′s impressio...

Šetalište Ivana Meštrovića 39
Split
Croatia
21000

00385 (0)21 340 800

Ivan Meštrović (1883, Vrpolje, Croatia – 1962, South Bend, Indiana, USA) is one of the greatest Croatian artists who expressed himself as a sculptor, painter, architect and writer. His origins lead to a poor family from Dalmatian hinterland which recognized his talent and sent him to a stonecutter′s workshop in Split. In 1900. Meštrović went to Wiena at the well of new Secession style where he also created under strong Rodin′s impressionist influence. While in Paris, in 1908. he turned towards monumental and heroic style choosing themes from Slavic history. After the I. World War Meštrović did female sculptures full of life and optimism, very often women holding an instrument. During the second and third decade of the 20th century he was preoccupied with the theme of male and female bodies, as well as religious themes. His style turned from heroic and impressionist to highly classical. During the 4th decade he made a whole series of characters with strong symbolical meaning of unjustified suffering such as Job, Persephone, Atlantis, Prometheus ... His sculpture is dominantly figurative and found its form in different materials such as plaster, stone, marble, wood and bronze. Ivan Meštrović gained international reputation and influenced generations of sculptors. He is present in museums and galleries all around the world as well as in many public spaces, where his public monuments even today astonish with their greatness.

Meštrović′s Crikvine - Kaštilac is a 16th century Renaissance summerhouse, which Ivan Meštrović bought and refurbished based on his own design (1939 - 1941) as a place of peace and contemplation. To the Renaissance complex secluded on a cliff above the sea, Meštrović interpolated a cloister with stone Doric columns and the Holy Crucifix Church. The cycle of 28 wooden reliefs potraying the Life of Jesus of Nazareth are erected along the church walls, and there is a wooden crucifix in the sanctuary. It took nearly 35 years (1916 - 1950) for the cycle to come into being, in the silence of his atelier, mostly when he was away from his homeland. The cycle remains a masterpiece of the European sacral sculpture.