Saturday, November 14, 2009

Ivan Mestrovic by Margot Justes











Split has many treasures and one that was a delightful find for me was sculptor Ivan Mestrovic. His work can only be described as monumental, towering, imposing and beyond life size.

His home, a villa that sits on a hill overlooking the Adriatic is, as the saying goes, beautifully situated. Converted to a museum, the home is surrounded by luxurious gardens, one could not ask for a more creative muse. Everywhere you turn, the view is magnificent.

The small more intimate museums like the Mestrovic museum do not leave you breathless and harried but instead leave you with a sense of greater awareness of the treasures shown, and I was enthralled.

Mestrovic worked in bronze, marble and wood. I enjoyed the wood pieces the most, the work seemed more defined, gentler and tactile. No, I did not touch, but I wanted to. His bronzes spoke of power, survival and dominance, the marble pieces on the other hand were romantic, flowing with gentle curves, yet dominant and compelling. You were left with a sense of wonder at the dynamic strength and sheer size of his sculptures. These are my impressions.

Born in 1883, he lived through wars and religious upheavals, his work reflected the times. He died in the US in 1962. There is a great deal of information available on his art and life, and just to give you a glimpse of some of his work, I posted pictures.

Chicago, a city well known for its love of art, has two magnificent, gigantic pieces sculpted by Ivan Mestrovic, The Bowman and The Spearman; perfectly positioned at the Congress Plaza entrance to Grant Park.

Till next time,
Margot Justes
http://margotsmuse.blogspot.com
http://www.mjustes.com/
A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3






3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Margot,

Art and writing are so inter-related. EVERY TIME I take a few hours to go and appreciate what is offered near me (and Austin, TX has much) . . . I come back with renewed energy for my writing.

Thanks for the post!

Morgan Mandel said...

Enjoying art has a calming effect on me. It's amazing what treasures some people can bring to life.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

Margot Justes said...

Drue,
I agree they are inter-related, both are an artistic outlet, and I feel energized and elated.

Morgan,
I find art theraputic, not necesserily relaxing, it depends on the piece I'm looking at. For real therapy, I turn to Rodin, his work is simply amazing.
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com