Menu
Menu
In his artistic expression, Meštrović has remained faithful to figuration, with human body as his perpetual inspiration. The nude thus became an ideal art form for an examination of all expressive, semantic and formative possibilities.
Inspired by the atmosphere of Vienna at the turn of the century – having experienced first-hand the art of Gustav Klimt, Auguste Rodin, and the research of Sigmund Freud, young Meštrović shapes female nudes that speak about human destiny, and provides commentary and criticism of established social conventions. Although he is sometimes criticised for excessive naturalism, even vulgarity – the human body becomes a catalyst for him to depict various psychological states. In the late 1900s, when he shaped the monumental fragments of the Kosovo Cycle, the nude body becomes saturated with symbolic display of strength, heroism and resilience of the human spirit.
A more personal and intimate approach to the nude theme in the 1920s was conditioned not only by the artistic tendencies of the so-called “return to order”, but also by personal experience. An increasing interest in representations of corporeality and sensuality appear in Meštrović’s exceptionally prolific period – both privately and artistically. In 1924, he became a father for the first time, which is something he wished for a long time. Immediately before, he created perhaps the most explicit depictions of the female body in his oeuvre, which were elaborated in detail in the drawing medium. In 1925, when he spent time in the US and was separated from his family for an extended period, he created several drawings of a pair of lovers embracing, as an expression of longing for an idyllic family life.
The marble female figures of the late 1920s and the early 1930s represent the pinnacle of Meštrović’s treatment of the nude, which he forms with smooth and full volumes, static compositions and tranquil movements. Carnal and sensual, often melancholy female figures captured in almost spiritual contemplation become a recognisable motif, not only in the sculptural medium, but also in drawing.
Seated Female Nude
probably Vienna, c. 1906
black pastel on paper
25.5 x 24.7 cm
inv. no. GMS-248a
The drawing represents one of the earlier depictions of the female nude, a theme that would occupy Meštrović for a long time, especially during the third and fourth decades. The female nude is shown from behind, with upper body bent forward. The right hand is touching the right foot, and the left hand rests on the ground. The outer contours are made bolder with a more pronounced contour line, while the body is softly shaded, emphasising the curves and soft transitions of light and shadow.
The image radiates with melancholy sensuality, which is characteristic of Meštrović’s sculptural renderings of the female nude from the first decade of the 20th century: Passion, Victim of Innocence, Birth, Abandoned1.
This is when, under the influence of Rodin’s symbolism and naturalism, he shapes allegorical figures transposed into mystical themes (reflected in the poetic titles), in which the boundaries of love, eroticism and death are intertwined (Kraševac 2002: 54-55). There is a special emphasis on shaping of the back in different, often complicated poses.
1 Since 1911, the work was kept in Villa Savoia in Rome, as part of the collection of Queen Elena of Italy (1873 – 1952). In 2019, having been sold by the Christie’s auction house, it became part of a private collection.
Seated Female Nude
Vienna, 1906 – 1907
black pastel on paper
37.5 x 30.2 cm
inv. no. GMS-223
The drawing is an example of the approach to the nude theme in the 1900s. A nude female figure is shown from behind, her head slightly tilted to the right. Her left upper arm rests on her knee, and her right arm is outstretched alongside the body. The outer contours are made bolder with a more pronounced contour line, while the body is softly shaded, emphasising the curves and soft transitions of light and shadow. The image radiates with melancholy sensuality, which is characteristic of Meštrović’s sculptural renderings of the female nude in the same period.
Bibl.: KEČKEMET 1988: 248.
Izl.: Zagreb 1983. – 1984.
Study for Building of Skadar
Bibl.: KEČKEMET 1988: 247.
Three Standing Male Nudes
probably Vienna, 1906 – 1907
black pastel on paper
32.5 x 37.4 cm
inv. no. GMS-255a
Three studies of the male nude in which Ivan Meštrović explores not only different positions of the human body, depicting them each time from a new angle, but also tries to show distinct psychological states. And while he renders the body with soft shading, he pays special attention to the facial expression, somnolent gaze, tilt of the head… Based on the stylistic features, we can attribute it to the group of drawings that belong to the period of Symbolism, and it is possible that they are studies for a particular scene. Duško Kečkemet (1988: 247) connects the drawing with the study for the relief Building of Skadar (cat. no. 24) in which nude male figures convey the most diverse emotional states – from sorrow and melancholy to utter despair.
Bibl.: KEČKEMET 1988: 247.
Two Seated Female Nudes and Bust of a Woman
probably Vienna, 1906 – 1907
black pastel and pencil on paper
32.5 x 37.4 cm
inv. no. GMS-255b
Among similar studies, Prančević has singled out this one of the female nude, which Meštrović obviously made working with a life model. In particular, he notes that Meštrović most likely depicted his wife Ruža here (2004: cat. no. 5):
„We can identify Meštrović’s first wife – Ruža Meštrović in these drawings, based on the type of hairstyle, as well as other physiognomic features. Studying the female body in such an explicit manner is not common in the sculptor’s drawing oeuvre. Specifically, we do not identify the drawing as a study for sculpture. The depicted female figure is a real model, with an animated gaze. This drawing is an example that is quite unlike others that support the transformation towards a different type of scene, where the model become anonymous, and the concentration is focused on the sculptural quality.“
Bibl.: PRANČEVIĆ 2004: kat. br. 5.
Izl.: Split 2004. Zagreb 2004 b.
Seated Female Nude
1909 – 1911
black pastel on paper
31 x 23.5 cm
inv. no. GMS-249a
The seated female figure is shown from behind, which draws attention to the softly shaped surface of the body, especially the back and buttocks. The head is turned left showing the right profile and is slightly tilted down. Meticulous shading with soft transitions of light and shadow creates an impression of a three-dimensional body, which is enclosed by a solid contour.
The figure is positioned on a darkly shaded rectangular pedestal, which leads us to conclude that it is a study for a sculptural work. The formal execution and position of the body is very similar to Meštrović’s sculptural solutions of the female figures from the Kosovo Cycle. The sculptor shapes widows as independent figures or, in turn, figural groups of widows with a child, with distinct plasticity, emphasising the weight and strength of the compactly formed volumes.
Bibl.: KEČKEMET 1988: 248.
Izl.: Zagreb 1983. – 1984.
Standing Female Nude
probably Rome, (?) 1918
charcoal on paper
65.5 x 50 cm
inv. no. GMS-518
In terms of composition, this drawing showing a back view can be connected with Meštrović’s seminal work Distant Chords created in Rome in 1918. The elegant female figure is the embodiment of music, her entire being focused on the act of making music, which continues in the rhythmic folds of the drapery. The fabric, which in the drawing covers only the lower part of the body below the buttocks, actually reveals more than it hides.
Vujanović (2016: 55-58) recognises in the drawing a study for the sculptural work Sketch for Female Figure (Rome, 1918) and Meštrović’s solution for the figure of Venus pudica:
„This is a pose in which a naked and idealised female figure, in either upright or reclining position, raises her right arm in an attempt to cover the breasts, while with her left she tries to hide the pudendum. (…) The stance of the figure can be varied in different positions, with diverse shifts and variations. For example, the breasts are not always covered, but each time there is a marked impression of the woman evading the gaze addressed to her, which actually just strengthens her sensuality and attraction. The body stance thus gains a double meaning: of concealment and provocation.“Meštrović will vary this compositional solution in several drawings from the collection of the Meštrović Gallery, and in addition to the mentioned sculptural study, we can also recognise it in the sculpture Woman (with Crossed Arms) (Zagreb, 1928 – 1929), which was put up in Zagreb as a public sculpture on the hundredth anniversary of the sculptor’s birth.
Seated Female Nude
1919
brown watercolour on paper
55.6 x 44.4 cm
inv. no. GMS-606
The motif of the seated female nude can be connected with several sheets from the lithographic portfolio printed in 1923, especially those depicting women playing music and female nudes. Although the body is not in the same position in any of the lithographs, there are noticeable similarities in the formal line and shading with short lines, as well as the manner of portraying the face and hair.
An independent portfolio of lithographs titled “Meštrović” was printed in May 1923, with a print run of 30 numbered copies, containing 21 print sheets. The portfolio is thematically diverse and includes religious (scenes from the life of Christ, the prophet, Job), historical (Domagoj’s Warriors) and secular themes (female nude, motif of lovers, women with musical instruments).
As Prančević (2008 b: 5) noted, it was precisely by exhibiting lithographs that Meštrović started the public valorisation of artistic expression on paper:
„Before this time, Meštrović rarely exhibited drawings or prints! From that point forward, however, and especially during the 1920s, the artist used this print portfolio and drawings that were created successively during his stay in America, along with sculpture, to present his artistic skill to the audience.“
Two Female Nudes
(Study for the lithographic sheet Women)
probably Zagreb, 1923
pencil on paper
34.2 x 42.1 cm
inv. no. GMS-546
The drawing is a study for the lithographic sheet Women from the lithographic portfolio printed in 1923. As interpreted by Prančević (2008 b: 18): “This lithographic sheet has an unusual erotic charge. It is rare that Ivan Meštrović will so explicitly depict female genitalia in his oeuvre. Certain drawings digress into the gynaecological field in their approach to the subject. This lithographic sheet can be connected to two sculptures that are part of the holdings of the Meštrović Gallery in Split (Female Nude) and the Meštrović Atelier in Zagreb (Figure of a Woman), Their almost imperceptible differences speak volumes about the artist’s approach to this subject.”
Lit.: PRANČEVIĆ 2008 b.
Bibl.: MAJSTOROVIĆ 1995: 7, kat. br. 29.
Izl.: Zagreb 1983. – 1984. Split 1995. Dubrovnik 1995. Rijeka 1996.
Seated Female Nude from Behind
probably Zagreb, 1923
blue ink on paper
34.2 x 21.4 cm
inv. no. GMS-451a
The drawing is part of a series of drawings from 1923 (cat. no. 38, 39, 40, 41), in which Meštrović elaborates the female anatomy in detail. Here, very deftly, with just a few linear strokes, he depicts the female nude from behind. The line of the lower lumbar area and the curve of the buttocks is highlighted in a somewhat unnaturally twisted position.
Bibl.: PRANČEVIĆ 2004: kat. br. 38. PRANČEVIĆ 2008 a: kat. br. 17.
Izl.: Zagreb 1983. – 1984. Split 2004. Cavtat 2004. Hvar 2004. Zagreb 2004 b. Slavonski Brod 2008.
Seated Female Nude
probably Zagreb, 1923
blue ink on paper
31.4 x 20.8 cm
inv. no. GMS-534
In a series of drawings that can be dated to 1923 (cat. no. 39, 40, 41) Meštrović elaborates the female anatomy in detail. We could conclude that he does this out of pure erotic curiosity, since the drawings are part of his “private collection” and have never been exhibited. The solid contour line in these studies of female nudes shows the artist’s confident hand, while an attempt at shading with short lines reveals an inevitable sculptural character. However, we can certainly feel the immediacy of the experience in the natural pose and the rapidly drawn contour line. The lack of affectation is a common denominator in these drawings, which display no additional decoration, excessive shading, or a well-thought-out composition. On the contrary, the motif sometimes leaves the frame or is overlapping. The position of the body and the countenance are the only exponents of expression captured in a uniquely intimate moment.
Bibl.: JURIĆ ŠABIĆ 2016 b: 126-129, kat. br. 40
Izl.: Zagreb 1983. – 1984. Zagreb 2016. Ljubljana 2018.
Seated Female Nude
probably Zagreb, 1923
blue ink on paper
31.4 x 20.8 cm
inv. no. GMS-535
Meštrović’s always covert and restrained eroticism in a series of drawings from 1923 (cat. no. 38, 40, 41) surprises with its explicitness. That this was more the exception than the rule is confirmed by Prančević (2008 b: 18), who highlights their unusual erotic charge and a compositional template that digresses “almost into the gynaecological field in its approach to the subject”.
However, we can also approach this motif from a biographical aspect. The compositional template of a female nude with the legs apart, indicates that this is possibly a study for the sculpture Figure of a Woman (Before Childbirth). The latter title, given by the artist himself when he listed his works in 1941, will turn the erotic reading towards Meštrović’s usual conception of women as mothers and bearers of life. Specifically, at the same time he was creating these drawings the sculptor experienced parenthood for the first time, having become a father in 1924 with the birth of his daughter Marta.
Bibl.: JURIĆ ŠABIĆ 2016 b: 126-129, kat. br. 41
Izl.: Zagreb 1983. – 1984. Zagreb 2016. Ljubljana 2018.
Seated Female Nudes and a Study of the Hand
probably Zagreb, 1923
blue ink on paper
31.4 x 20.8 cm
inv. no. GMS-538
Meštrović’s always covert and restrained eroticism in a series of drawings from 1923 (cat. no. 38, 40, 41) surprises with its explicitness. That this was more the exception than the rule is confirmed by Prančević (2008 b: 18), who highlights their unusual erotic charge and a compositional template that digresses “almost into the gynaecological field in its approach to the subject”.
However, we can also approach this motif from a biographical aspect. The compositional template of a female nude with the legs apart, indicates that this is possibly a study for the sculpture Figure of a Woman (Before Childbirth). The latter title, given by the artist himself when he listed his works in 1941, will turn the erotic reading towards Meštrović’s usual conception of women as mothers and bearers of life. Specifically, at the same time he was creating these drawings the sculptor experienced parenthood for the first time, having become a father in 1924 with the birth of his daughter Marta.
Bibl.: JURIĆ ŠABIĆ 2016 b: 126-129, kat. br. 42. PRANČEVIĆ 2004: kat. br. 36.
Izl.: Zagreb 1983. – 1984. Split 2004. Cavtat 2004. Hvar 2004. Zagreb 2004 b. Slavonski Brod 2008. Zagreb 2016. Ljubljana 2018.
Seated Female
Nude
probably Zagreb, 1923
blue ink on paper
31.4 x 20.8 cm
inv. no. GMS-539
Meštrović’s always covert and restrained eroticism in a series of drawings from 1923 (cat. no. 38, 40, 41) surprises with its explicitness. That this was more the exception than the rule is confirmed by Prančević (2008 b: 18), who highlights their unusual erotic charge and a compositional template that digresses “almost into the gynaecological field in its approach to the subject”.
However, we can also approach this motif from a biographical aspect. The compositional template of a female nude with the legs apart, indicates that this is possibly a study for the sculpture Figure of a Woman (Before Childbirth). The latter title, given by the artist himself when he listed his works in 1941, will turn the erotic reading towards Meštrović’s usual conception of women as mothers and bearers of life. Specifically, at the same time he was creating these drawings the sculptor experienced parenthood for the first time, having become a father in 1924 with the birth of his daughter Marta.
Bibl.: JURIĆ ŠABIĆ 2016 b: 126-129, kat. br. 43. MAJSTOROVIĆ 1995: kat. br. 23. PRANČEVIĆ 2008 b: 18.
Izl.: Zagreb 1983. – 1984. Split 1995. Dubrovnik 1995. Rijeka 1996. Zagreb 2016. Ljubljana 2018.
Female Nude
New York (?), 1925
brown pastel on paper
39 x 30 cm
inv. no. GMS-330
The drawing is a study for the lithographic sheet titled Nude, from the lithographic portfolio printed in 1923. As Prančević (2008 b: 25) notes, this lithographic sheet will usher in the stylistic expression that Meštrović developed in his New York drawings, which are characterised by voluminous surfaces of the body within the outlines of thicker and interrupted layers of pastel. We can observe this drawing, probably created during Meštrović’s stay in New York, within that context.
Lit.: PRANČEVIĆ 2008 b.
Izl.: Zagreb 1983. – 1984.
Abduction
New York, 1925
red pastel on paper (glued on coloured paper)
54.7 x 43 cm
inv. no. GMS-388
The drawing depicts a woman in the arms of a winged man, and it can be interpreted as being inspired by Greek mythology. With the diagonal impetus of the body of the winged creature, Meštrović introduces an element of aggression, and the image can be interpreted as an act of abduction, that is, of marital “acquisition”. This patriarchal custom was not only characteristic of ancient times, but was also a centuries-old custom in the Dalmatian Hinterland, Meštrović’s native land. Based on the formal characteristics, the drawing can be dated to 1925. The exact same motif, rendered in the technique of brown pastel, is depicted in the drawing titled Love (inv. no. 1934.6). The drawing is part of the collection of the Weisman Art Museum – University of Minnesota, where it arrived in 1934.
Bibl.: JURIĆ ŠABIĆ 2016. b: 110-111, kat. br. 49.
Izl.: Zagreb 2016. Ljubljana 2016.
Embrace II
New York, 1925
dark brown pastel on paper
43.3 x 35 cm
inv. no. GMS-341
The drawing was created in 1925 in New York, where Meštrović spent a considerable time preparing and organising a series of solo exhibitions that were staged in several American cities. Being far from his family, his works express a nostalgic longing for an idyllic family life. The drawing Embrace (cat. no. 96), as well as several other drawings with the motif of a male and female nude embracing (cat. no. 45, 93), tenderly depict the mature love between a man and a woman united in one homogenous mass. Nevertheless, the dominance of the male figure is evident, both in the powerful staging of the male figure who dominates and carries the entire composition, and in the sheer contrast between the clothed man and the bare sensuality of the female figure.
Bibl.: JURIĆ ŠABIĆ 2016 b: 124-125.
Izl.: Zagreb 2016. Ljubljana 2018.
Kiss
New York, 1925
dark brown pastel on paper (glued on coloured paper)
46.8 x 40.7 cm
inv. no. GMS-386
The drawing was created in 1925 in New York, where Meštrović spent a considerable time preparing and organising a series of solo exhibitions that were staged in several American cities. Being far from his family, his works express a nostalgic longing for an idyllic family life. The drawing Embrace (cat. no. 96), as well as several other drawings with the motif of a male and female nude embracing (cat. no. 45, 93), tenderly depict the mature love between a man and a woman united in one homogenous mass. Nevertheless, the dominance of the male figure is evident, both in the powerful staging of the male figure who dominates and carries the entire composition, and in the sheer contrast between the clothed man and the bare sensuality of the female figure.
Bibl.: JURIĆ ŠABIĆ 2016 b: 124-125.
Izl.: Zagreb 2016. Ljubljana 2018.
Standing Female Nude
1926 – 1928
brown pastel on paper
60.3 x 41 cm
inv. no. GMS-297
A series of several drawings depicting the female nude can be dated to the period from 1926 – 1928. They are contemporary with Meštrović’s major sculptural works from the 1920s, such as the Woman by the Sea (1926), Psyche (1927) and Waiting (1928). These marble female nudes, which belong to the neoclassical stylistic expression, are modelled in the round, with taut polished surfaces, and are shown in a standing or seated position.
Several contemporaneous drawings (cat. no. 47, 48, 49, 50, 51) can be seen as studies, of sorts, for the aforementioned sculptures, which is revealed precisely by their “sculptural quality” – delicate transitions and soft shading that create an impression of sculpturesqueness. The slightly apart leg stance, raised arms and the swing of the head, achieve in this drawing the dynamism of a figure captured in motion.
Exb.: Dubrovnik 1995. Split 1995. Rijeka 1996.
Standing Female Torso
1926. – 1928.
crveni pastel na papiru
60,5 x 40,1 cm
inv. br. GMS-298
The drawing is part of a series of nudes sketched in the period from 1926 – 1928 (cat. no. 46, 48, 49, 50, 51), contemporaneously with Meštrović’s sculptures from the 1920s, such as the marble female nudes Woman by the Sea (1926), Psyche (1927.) and Waiting (1928). By fragmenting, that is, by severing the arms and the head, the sculptor highlights the essential – the female torso and thighs (which he will partially realise in his seminal work – the sculpture Psyche), while a certain dynamism is achieved with the arms raised in a swinging motion.
Seated Female Nude
c. 1926 – 1928
brown pastel on paper
50.5 x 59.2 cm
inv. no. GMS-299
The drawing is part of a series of nudes sketched in the period from (cat. no. 46, 47, 49, 50, 51), contemporaneously with Meštrović’s sculptures from the 1920s, such as the marble female nudes Woman by the Sea (1926), Psyche (1927) and Waiting (1928). The view of the figure from behind studies the way the body sits on a surface, resting one hand on the thigh, and the other on the surface.
Particular attention is drawn to the delicate transitions of the shoulders and the shoulder blades and undulations of the lower back, achieved with soft shading. The position of the seated female figure can be compared to the sculpture Woman by the Sea.
Bibl.: MAJSTOROVIĆ 1995: kat. br. 3.
Izl.: Dubrovnik 1995. Split 1995. Rijeka 1996.
Standing Female Torso
1926 – 1928
dark brown pastel on paper
59.2 x 42.2 cm
inv. no. GMS-393
The drawing is part of a series of nudes sketched in the period from 1926 – 1928 (cat. no. 46, 47, 48, 50, 51), contemporaneously with Meštrović’s sculptures from the 1920s, such as the marble female nudes Woman by the Sea (1926), Psyche (1927) and Waiting (1928). The drawings are studies of sorts, for the aforementioned sculptures, which is revealed precisely by their “sculptural quality”. The view of the figure from behind, which is bent slightly forward, reveals the emphasis placed on the delicate transitions of the back to the buttocks, achieved with soft shading.
Exb.: Zagreb 1983. – 1984.
Seated Female Nude
1926 – 1928
dark brown pastel on paper
58.9 x 50.7 cm
inv. no. GMS-394
The drawing is part of a series of nudes sketched in the period from (cat. no. 46, 47, 49, 50, 51), contemporaneously with Meštrović’s sculptures from the 1920s, such as the marble female nudes Woman by the Sea (1926), Psyche (1927) and Waiting (1928). The view of the figure from behind studies the way the body sits on a surface, resting one hand on the thigh, and the other on the surface.
Particular attention is drawn to the delicate transitions of the shoulders and the shoulder blades and undulations of the lower back, achieved with soft shading. The position of the seated female figure can be compared to the sculpture Woman by the Sea.
Standing Female Torso
1926 – 1928
brown pastel on paper
60.5 x 40.8 cm
inv. no. GMS-395
A series of several drawings depicting the female nude can be dated to the period from 1926 – 1928. They are contemporary with Meštrović’s major sculptural works from the 1920s, such as the Woman by the Sea (1926), Psyche (1927) and Waiting (1928). These marble female nudes, which belong to the neoclassical stylistic expression, are modelled in the round, with taut polished surfaces, and are shown in a standing or seated position.
Several contemporaneous drawings (cat. no. 47, 48, 49, 50, 51) can be seen as studies, of sorts, for the aforementioned sculptures, which is revealed precisely by their “sculptural quality” – delicate transitions and soft shading that create an impression of sculpturesqueness. The slightly apart leg stance, raised arms and the swing of the head, achieve in this drawing the dynamism of a figure captured in motion.
