Description of the attraction
The gallery was founded by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrovic and officially opened in 1951. The gallery is located on the southern slopes of Mount Marjan, above the sea, on the site of the former villa of Meštrovic.
Ivan Meštrović is the most famous Croatian sculptor of the 20th century. He was originally from Croatia, grew up in Split, and studied in Vienna, where he early discovered his talent. Meštrovic worked in Paris with the great Rodin, then in Rome, and in London he has already gained worldwide fame. After World War II, he lived in the United States, where he died in 1962.
Villa Meštrovic was built in Split between 1931 and 1939. designed by the artist himself in the classical style. The villa was built in stages, from the east to the west of the house, and was intended for living, work and exhibitions.
Ivan Meštrovich lived here with his family since the summer of 1932. In 1941, Meštrovic left for Zagreb, and the family remained in Split for another year. In 1952, Ivan Meštrovic in his will donated his villa to the Republic of Croatia, which makes it possible to create the Ivan Meštrovic Gallery here. The museum was inaugurated to the public on September 9, 1952. Since 1991, the Gallery has been part of the Ivan Meštrovic Foundation, headquartered in Zagreb.
Initially, the Gallery featured 70 sculptures donated by the artist for presentation in the future museum in Split. Later, this collection grew due to new acquisitions, exchange and reproduction in bronze and stone of new sculptures based on the author's plaster models, as well as donations from the artist himself and his family. The gallery's exposition now includes 192 sculptures (made of wood, marble and bronze), 583 drawings, 4 paintings, 291 architectural plans, and two sets of furniture, one of which was made according to Meštrovic's sketches, and is part of the permanent exhibition in the former dining room.
In addition to the formation of the museum fund, the Gallery collects documents related to the life and work of I. Meshtrovic. Of particular interest are the artist's photographs taken in Vienna. The Gallery also has a family archive, found in the house in 1952, where letters from friends and personal documents of the family are kept.
