Ulica kralja Tomislava 15
The Art Gallery was founded in 1931,
and has recently been located in the Old Hospital not far from the
northern walls of
Diocletian's Palace in Split, inside the Bastion of Cornar.
Among the permanent exhibition are paintings and sculptures from the
14th century to modern times. The works of Andrija Aleši and Juraj
Ćulinović from the 15th century, Andrija Medulić from the 16th
century, Matej Pončun and Federik Benković from the century and
paintings by Venetian masters of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque
stand out. Also, the gallery exhibits valuable icons from the period
15-19. century. The most numerous are the works of important
Croatian artists Bukovac, Dešković, Job, Medović, Meštrović and
Vidović.
Origins and Founding
The Gallery of Fine Arts in Split, Croatia
(known locally as Galerija umjetnina Split), traces its roots to the
early 20th century, emerging from a growing interest in modern art in
the region. In 1908, a significant Dalmatian art exhibition was held in
Split, marking the first introduction of modern art to the city. This
event featured works by local artists who had trained in major European
centers like Munich, Vienna, and Paris, showcasing a blend of regional
and international influences. The exhibition was a pivotal moment, as
the Dalmatian governor, Nicholas Nardelli (also referred to as Nikola
Nardelli in some sources), purchased several pieces to form the nucleus
of a future art collection. These acquisitions were entrusted to Kamilo
Tončić, the director of the local School of Crafts, who became a key
advocate for establishing a dedicated art gallery.
Over the following
two decades, the collection expanded through additional purchases,
donations, and advocacy efforts. The idea of a formal gallery gained
traction, and in 1928, the city authorities granted official approval
for its creation. The museum officially opened to the public on December
1, 1931, initially housed in a building on Lovretska Street (now known
as Ulica kralja Tomislava in some contexts, though the original location
was distinct). At its inception, the gallery's permanent collection
consisted of about 500 works, with the inaugural exhibition displaying
around 300 of them. Kamilo Tončić served as the first director, Angjeo
Uvodić as curator, and Cata Dujšin as restorer, laying the foundational
team for the institution.
Early Development and Collection Growth
(1930s–1940s)
In its early years, the gallery focused on building a
representative collection of Croatian and regional art, emphasizing
works from the 14th century onward. The collection grew steadily through
acquisitions, private donations, and bequests. A notable milestone was
the donation of over 300 works from the private collection of Ivo
Tartaglia, which significantly enriched the holdings. This period
reflected the cultural shifts in the region, incorporating influences
from successive historical powers such as the Venetian Republic, the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The gallery's
emphasis was on local artists, but it also included pieces connected to
Split from international figures in Italy, Germany, Austria, France, and
the Czech Republic.
World War II and the immediate postwar era posed
challenges, including space limitations in the original building and the
need to preserve artworks amid political changes. Despite this, the
gallery continued to acquire pieces, setting the stage for postwar
expansion.
Postwar Expansion and Modernization (1950s–1980s)
Under the directorship of Kruno Prijatelj from 1950 to 1979, the gallery
entered a phase of significant professionalization and outreach.
Prijatelj introduced art education programs, published catalogs and
scholarly works, and began organizing exhibitions of contemporary
artists, broadening the institution's scope beyond historical
collections. This era saw the gallery adapt to the socialist Yugoslav
context, incorporating modern and abstract art trends while maintaining
a focus on Croatian cultural heritage.
By the mid-20th century, the
collection had grown to include major Croatian artists such as Vlaho
Bukovac, Mato Celestin Medović, Branislav Dešković, Ivan Meštrović,
Emanuel Vidović, and Ignjat Job. The icon collection became one of
Croatia's richest, featuring 15th- to 19th-century works from the Cretan
School, Ionian School, Russia, Greece, and especially Boka Kotorska. Old
masters from the 14th to 18th centuries included standout pieces like
Paolo Veneziano's polyptych (c. 1345), works by Andrija Alesi, Juraj
Čulinović, Albrecht Dürer, Andrija Medulić, Girolamo Brusaferro, Matej
Ponzoni, and Federiko Benković.
The 19th-century and modern sections
formed the bulk of the holdings, with portraits by Juraj Pavlović and
Ivan Skvarčina, paintings by Bukovac, Vidović, Medović, Job, Juraj
Plančić, and Marino Tartaglia, and sculptures by Ivan Rendić, Dešković,
and Meštrović. Additional artists represented included Vladimir Becić,
Oskar Herman, Miroslav Kraljević, Ljubo Babić, Jerolim Miše, Ljubo
Ivančić, Antun Kaštelančić, Edo Murtić, Kosta Angeli Radovani, Antun
Masle, Slavko Kopač, Sava Šumanović, Nadežda Petrović, Petar Dobrović,
and Branko Ružić.
Contemporary art from the 1950s onward featured Ivo
Dulčić, Ljubo Ivančić, Kopač, Ferdinand Kulmer, Ružić, Ivan Kožarić, and
Đuro Seder, alongside constructivist and geometric works by EXAT-51 and
New Tendencies members like Ivan Picelj, Julije Knifer, and Juraj
Dobrović. The 1980s brought in artists such as Damir Sokić, Nino
Ivančić, and the Split-based group including Kuzma Kovačić, Vasko
Lipovac, Kažimir Hraste, and Gorky Žuvela, with younger talents like Ana
Opalić, Lauren Živković Kuljiš, and Viktor Popović.
Relocation
and Contemporary Era (1990s–Present)
Space constraints in the
original building became increasingly problematic, leading to a 2001
decision by the Split City Council to relocate the gallery to the
historic old hospital building at Ulica kralja Tomislava 15. Constructed
in 1792 as Split's first public hospital and located adjacent to
Diocletian's Palace, this neoclassical structure provided 2,200 square
meters of space. Renovations, funded and overseen by the Ministry of
Culture and the Department for Protection of Cultural Heritage,
transformed it into a modern facility with exhibit spaces, restoration
workshops, offices, an archive library, a bookstore, museum shop, café,
and outdoor areas for events like concerts and lectures. The renovated
building opened in 2009, marking a new chapter for the gallery.
Today, the collection exceeds 5,200 works (though some sources cite
around 3,500 for the core holdings), spanning from medieval painting to
contemporary multimedia art. The permanent exhibition is divided
thematically: the first floor covers the 14th century to the 1960s,
highlighting style shifts from medieval to abstract art, while the
ground floor focuses on Croatian contemporary practices from the 1960s
to the present, emphasizing multidisciplinary approaches. The gallery
maintains a restoration department, documentation archive, and hosts
temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists. Branko Franceschi serves
as the current director, continuing to promote the institution as a key
cultural hub in Split.
The Gallery of Fine Arts in Split, Croatia (also known as the Museum
of Fine Arts or Galerija umjetnina), was founded in 1931 and is housed
in a carefully restored 18th-century building that once served as the
city's first hospital. Situated just behind Diocletian's Palace, the
museum offers a comprehensive survey of Croatian and regional art from
the 14th century to the present day.
Its permanent collection
includes more than 5,200 works, with around 400 pieces on permanent
display across approximately 2,200 square meters. The holdings have
expanded through purchases, donations, and significant bequests—most
notably over 300 works from the private collection of Ivo Tartaglia. The
collection traces artistic developments in Split and Dalmatia while
reflecting broader influences from Venetian, Austro-Hungarian, Yugoslav,
and contemporary Croatian contexts. It features paintings, sculptures,
drawings, prints, icons, and multimedia installations, with a strong
emphasis on works by local artists or those depicting regional themes,
alongside select international pieces from Italy, Germany, Austria,
France, and elsewhere.
The museum maintains restoration workshops, an
archive and library, a documentation center for graphics and
publications, and dedicated spaces for temporary exhibitions, concerts,
and educational programs.
Exhibition Layout
The permanent
display is organized chronologically across two main levels for a clear
historical progression:
First Floor — curated by museum advisor
Božo Majstorović — presents art from the 14th century through the 1960s.
It traces the dramatic evolution from medieval religious works to
modernist abstraction, providing a foundation in historical styles and
themes.
Ground Floor — curated by senior curator Jasminka Babić and
curator Marija Stipišić Vuković — focuses on Croatian and local
contemporary art from the 1960s to today. This section highlights
multidisciplinary, experimental, and multimedia approaches that engage
with current cultural, social, and technological issues.
Key
Periods and Highlights
The collection is organized by historical
periods, blending local Dalmatian traditions with wider European
movements. Here are the main eras with notable artists and
representative works:
14th–18th Centuries (Old Masters)
This
section features one of Croatia's richest collections of icons and early
religious art, mostly small- to medium-sized devotional pieces. It
includes influences from Venetian, Cretan, Ionian, Russian, and Boka
Kotorska schools, with themes centered on spirituality, portraiture, and
emerging humanism.
Key artists: Paolo Veneziano, Andrija Alesi, Juraj
Čulinović, Andrija Medulić, Federiko Benković, Albrecht Dürer, Girolamo
Brusaferro, Matej Ponzoni.
Highlights: Nicola Zafuri's Virgin and
Child (late 15th century), anonymous 15th–16th-century triptych
Transfiguration of Christ with Saints, various late-17th-century
Madonnas, and works by anonymous "Madonnari" painters.
19th
Century
This period marks the emergence of national romanticism,
realism, and early impressionist influences, often exploring Croatian
identity, local landscapes, portraits, and historical subjects under
imperial rule.
Key artists: Vlaho Bukovac, Mato Celestin Medović,
Emanuel Vidović, Ignjat Job, Juraj Plančić, Marino Tartaglia, Juraj
Pavlović, Ivan Skvarčina; sculptors Ivan Rendić, Branislav Dešković,
Ivan Meštrović.
Highlights: Bukovac's symbolic and impressionist
paintings, Medović's atmospheric landscapes, Meštrović's early Art
Nouveau-influenced sculptures, Vidović's innovative drawings and
caricatures.
Early to Mid-20th Century (Modernism to 1960s)
The focus here is on expressionism, cubism, abstraction, and post-war
developments, frequently linked to Croatian avant-garde groups and
Parisian influences. Themes address social upheaval, identity, and
modernity.
Key artists: Vladimir Becić, Oskar Herman, Miroslav
Kraljević, Ljubo Babić, Jerolim Miše, Ljubo Ivančić, Antun Kaštelančić,
Edo Murtić, Kosta Angeli Radovani, Antun Masle, Slavko Kopač, Sava
Šumanović, Nadežda Petrović, Petar Dobrović, Branko Ružić.
Highlights: Ljubo Babić's powerful Black Flags (1918), Murtić's dynamic
abstract compositions, and Meštrović's bridging sculptures.
Late
20th Century to Contemporary (1960s–Present)
This section showcases
experimental, conceptual, and multimedia art, including constructivist
movements (EXAT-51, New Tendencies), geometric abstraction, and socially
engaged works addressing globalization, politics, and technology. The
museum continues to acquire new pieces to reflect ongoing creativity.
Key artists: Ivan Kožarić, Đuro Seder, Ivan Picelj, Julije Knifer, Juraj
Dobrović, Kuzma Kovačić, Vasko Lipovac, Kažimir Hraste, Gorky Žuvela,
Ivo Dulčić, Ferdinand Kulmer, Mladen Stilinović; younger generations
include Ana Opalić, Lauren Živković Kuljiš, Viktor Popović.
Highlights: Stilinović's critical conceptual installations, Lipovac's
whimsical sculptures, Knifer's iconic meander patterns, and multimedia
explorations of identity and environment by contemporary artists.
The art gallery is located in a building called "Stara bolnica" (Old Hospital). The building was erected in 1792 according to drawings by the architect Petar Kurir and was the city's first municipal hospital. In 1872, the property was expanded and it then received its current exterior design, which bears stylistic features from the Neo-Renaissance. In connection with the extension, which was made according to drawings by the architect Josip Slade, the south wing and the building's central atrium with veranda were added. In the late 1970s, the building was adapted according to drawings by the architect Vuko Bombardelli to accommodate the "Muzej narodne revolucije" (Museum of the People's Revolution), which was closed in 1991. Since 1996, the building has housed the Art Gallery and the Multimedia Culture Center. In the years 2004–2009, the building was reconstructed, expanded and further adapted to meet the needs of the Art Museum. Despite the many changes, the building is a valuable example of 19th century architecture and it plays an important role in Split's history as the city's first hospital.