Drawing by a famous Croatian sculptor
Pieta, drawing by Ivan Meštrović
| Ivan Meštrović’s Pieta was sold at Sotheby’s in London for 8,750 GBP. It was the only drawing among 100 works of art offered within the section of “19th & 20th Century European Sculpture”. Unusually, the drawing represents the head of Christ to be above the Virgin, appearing to shelter her. |
Ivan Meštrović 1883-1962, a famous Croatian sculptor
| “19th & 20th Century European Sculpture” CATALOGUE NOTE: “Pieta” IVAN MESTROVIC, CROATIAN, 1883-1962. Pencil and charcoal on paper, CIRCA 1913, 34/23.5cm. PROVENANCE From the collection of Ruža Klein, the artist’s first wife; Gifted to her first cousin, Anny Juer, née Klein; and thence by descent CATALOGUE NOTE The signature on the drawing can be compared to signatures appearing on drawings dating to 1913 in the collection of the Meštrović family. Moreover the Pieta drawing relates very closely to other works on the same theme dating to 1913. In particular the depiction of Christ, with its strong references to Meštrović’s own features, can be compared to a Head of Christ which Meštrović carved in walnut that year in Rome, now in the collection of the Ivan Meštrović Gallery, Split. Meštrović’s art always had a strong thread of autobiographical reference, with his own features and those of his loved ones appearing frequently in the guise of religious or allegorical characters. A reference to his beloved Dalmatia is seen in the Virgin’s veil wrapped tightly round her head, like the traditional headdress worn by Meštrović’s mother in his portrait of her from 1907. It is tempting to see the likeness of Ruža in the Virgin. Unusually, the head of Christ is above the Virgin, appearing to shelter her. The poignant mood and tenderness between the two heads takes on secular echoes of the couple’s ardent but troubled relationship. The provenance, coming from Ruža’s own family, is very rare and the fact that the drawing was given by Meštrović to be treasured by Ruža suggests that it had strong personal connotations. |
| U najuglednijoj svjetskoj aukcijskoj kući Sotheby’s (London, New Bond Street) prodan je crtež IVANA MEŠTROVIĆA “PIETA”, oko 1913., za više od 70 000 Kuna (8,750 GBP), što je izniman uspjeh s obzirom na pad cijena na svjetskom tržištu umjetnina, a naročito pošto je to bio jedini crtež uz 100 kipova ponuđenih na akciji “19th & 20th Century European Sculpture”. Ivan Meštrović tako ostaje i dalje u svijetu najtraženiji umjetnik s ovih prostora, a vrijednost njegovih djela očito sve se više prepoznaje. Kuća Sotheby’s je 11.11.2008. prodala drveni reljef IVANA MEŠTROVIĆA iz 1913 “Silazak s križa” za 205,250 GBP, te 29.05.2008. Meštrovićev portret Ruže Klein iz 1915 za 90,500 GBP. |
Formated for CROWN by prof.dr. Darko Žubrinić
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