TROGIR TOWN SUMMER 2025 (SLAVA RAŠKAJ EXHIBITION)

 Hello dear readers/ fellow bloggers! In this post, I'll share two summer outfits I wore for visiting Trogir town. During one of my visits, I also visited an exhibition of Slava Raškaj, considered one of the best Croatian watercolours of the last century. It was such a joy and privilege to see her aquarelles in person. I actually didn't even know about his exhibition, I happened on it by pure chance. However, I've always admired Slava and wanted to see her works in person. Thank you Trogir for organizing this (free) exhibition. 

I have visited Trogir a few times this Summer actually. Seeing that I work nearby, it makes sense to pay this lovely historical town a visit whenever possible. My visits to Trogir are often rushed and short these days, as I'm on no vacation. My colleague and I sometimes go there in between our work shifts, when we have an hour or two off, taking a taxi or catching a ride with another colleague that frequents the local gym often as he competes in deadlifting. Scroll down to see more of my Trogir visits!

What shall I talk about first? The outfits or the city? Maybe we can start with the outfits and get out sustainable fashion stories out of the way. So, two summer outfits, a skirt and a dress, both of them of mini length. One of my hot summer outfit proposals is composed of a skirt and a one piece swimsuit and the other of a mini geometrical print dress. So, let's analyze them starting with the older one.

The outfit you can see below features a green dress. The photographs were taken once we went through the historical Southern Gate to explore  Trogir more more. Behond me you can see:the city promenade with its signature palm trees (no seaside promenade in Croatia is complete without palm trees), the famous medieval fortress Kamerlengo Castle and many boats. 

 I wore this outfit for a coffee outing with my parents. We had an espresso together and strolled Trogir. We visited the new bridge, something they didn't see before. I took photographs of them on the bridge. As it raining the day before, they got their clothes a little wet posing for photographs, but it was such a hot day that they dried up quickly. All in all, it was a lovely outing. We talked about Trogir and its history. My mother knows some of it, but there were also things she wasn't familiar with. She was surprised with how much I knew about the history of Trogir. 

As you my blogger friends know, I blogged about Trogir quite a few time and did some research before every published post. What can I say? Sometimes it pays off to have a blog. It can make you want to read and learn more. It certainly makes me want to learn more. Having a visual and written record of your visits, travels and excursions cannot hurt. It definitely can help information to find a way to stay in your brain. Not just information but memories as well. Revisiting certain places is like revisiting people you love. Reflecting on your special places and memories make you revive them again. 

SUSTAINABLE FASHION TALES- HOW I WORE THESE CLOTHING ITEMS BEFORE?

I think we are not aware of what consumerism robs us of sometimes. Imagine if I never held to any clothing item. How would I create stories with them? The most interesting thing about clothes and fashion are the stories that they tell. For me used, old or vintage clothes are often the most interesting because they have so many stories to tell. Quick fast fashion purchases don't do anything for us. Creating a habit of cherishing and respecting your clothes, respecting the people who make and design clothes, respecting yourself, that is what sustainability is for me.  Now is the time to talk about how sustainable the items I wore are and what stories do they have to tell. Some of these stories are still untold.

THE GEOMETRICAL PRINT DRESS PAIRED WITH WHITE SNEAKERS AND A RED BAG OUTFIT

THIS GREEN AND BLACK GEOMETRICAL PRINT MINI DRESS- is a second hand purchase, so kind of sustainable to start with. This book promotion in 2024 marked my first time wearing of this green dress on blog! I also wore it on its own a couple of times, but I didn't always take photographs of my outfits. Anyhow, I can't find more images with this dress right now, so I'll probably come back to this post some day I also have some unpublished photographed outfits with it, but I don't want to overshadow Trogir with fashion images, so I'll publish those outfits with this dress some other time. 

THE WHITE DEICHMAN TRAINERS/SNEAKERS (OLD)

I do wear this pair, but I don't always post those looks. I've been wearing them every day for work this Summer, alternating between a couple of other sneakers for the night shift,  but they were getting worn on daily basis for sure.

 I wore this pair 

1) in my post with khaki cargo pants

2) white sneakers here with a lilac Ozz skirt.

3) white sneakers with a blue and white dress and a white blazer for an autumn walk in Mostar 2024.

4) white sneakers with a pepita coat, green blazer, lilac skirt and cropped black leggings 2025.

5-6) The two spring outfits (black dress and a pink dress/skirt combo) I'm sharing today. 

7) See how I wore them in this 2025 post with a grey pair of trousers, a blue raincoat and a t-shirt.

THE RED CROSSOVER LEATHER BAG (gifted, a friend got it for me)

1) In 2025, I styled this red bag with a maxi green knit dress, biker boots and a beige coat. 

2-3) In this 2025 post, I styled this red bag with two ferry outfits.

4) In this 2025 post, I wore it with a pink polka dot dress.

5)  It was also worn with a floral print ruffled mini dress in 2025.

6)....and with a golden metallic dress, black heels and burgundy tights in 2025.

THE OVERSIZED BLACK AND WHITE STRAW HAT (no name)

See how I styled it with a white cherry print dress here  and with a floral mini dress here.

What do you think about this summer outfit? I really liked it and it was comfortable to wear. 

Now, moving onto my second styling. These photographs were taken by my friend in front of the beautiful Trogir cathedral, so let's take a moment to honour the beauty of Trogir.  As I already said on my blog, Trogir cathedral is utterly beautiful. It is so iconic it is mentioned in many songs and poems. It is definitely an important part of our Croatian culture and identity. It never fails to take my breath away, even from the distance. Whenever I come near it, I'm once again amazed by its beauty.

Indeed, one of most popular and visited sights in Trogir is the cathedral of saint Lawrence,  a Roman catholic basilica built in the Romanesque- Gothic style. The construction of cathedral lasted  several centuries making its final look a mixture of styles. Moreover, because of its long construction, this cathedral is a monument to different historical architectural styles.  The construction of Saint Lawrence cathedral began in 13th  century and ended in 17th century. The cathedral was build on a foundation of an Early Christian cathedral (also decided to saint Lawrence) that was destroyed by the Saracens in the 12th century. Most of the work on the cathedral was done in the 13 century and completed by 1251 hence the cathedral is mostly build in Romanesque style. The vault inside the church was build in 15th century and was build in Mannerist (late Romance) style. 

THE GRAND CIPIKO PALACE is located right opposite the famous cathedral

We didn't go inside, but we admired it from outside. I found a bit of information online so you history lovers can enjoy it. 

CITED FROM https://hr-cro.com/croatia/trogir-great-cipiko-palace/eng

The Grand Cipiko Palace is one of the most important architectural and historical monuments of Trogir. With its rich history dating back to the Middle Ages and its exceptional artistic value, it reflects the blend of Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance influences that have shaped the city's appearance over the centuries.

The palace is named after the influential noble family Cipiko, which played a key role in the political and cultural life of Trogir. The most famous member of the family was Koriolan Cipiko, a humanist, military leader, and writer who was an important supporter of art and architecture. His role in transforming the palace into a Renaissance masterpiece was crucial, as he collaborated with some of the most renowned artists and architects of his time. The original design of the palace dates back to the Romanesque period when the basic structures were built. However, in the 15th century, the Cipiko family decided on a thorough renovation in line with the Renaissance trends of the time, giving the palace its distinctive appearance....

TROGIR, A TOWN BUILD ON AN ISLAND, IS UNDER UNESCO PROTECTION

CITED FROM UNESCO OFFICIAL PAGE 

Historic City of Trogir

Trogir is a remarkable example of urban continuity. The orthogonal street plan of this island settlement dates back to the Hellenistic period and it was embellished by successive rulers with many fine public and domestic buildings and fortifications. Its beautiful Romanesque churches are complemented by the outstanding Renaissance and Baroque buildings from the Venetian period.

CITED FROM UNESCO

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis

The Historic City of Trogir on the eastern coast of the Adriatic is a remarkable example of urban continuity. The orthogonal street pattern of this island settlement dates back to the Hellenistic period, and it has been embellished by successive rulers with many fine public and domestic buildings and fortifications. Its fine Romanesque churches are complemented by the outstanding Renaissance and Baroque buildings from the Venetian period. Its urban fabric has been conserved to an exceptional degree and with the minimum of modern interventions, in which the trajectory of social and cultural development is clearly visible in every aspect of the townscape.

The ancient town of Tragurion was founded in the 3rd century BC as a trading settlement by Greek colonists on an island at the western end of the bay of Manios between the mainland and one of the Adriatic islands. The town was enclosed by a megalithic wall and its streets were laid out on a grid plan. The town has been in continuous occupation since then. Its contemporary plan reflects the Hellenistic layout in the location, dimension and shapes of its residential blocks. The two ancient main streets, the cardo maximus and the decumanus are still in use.

The development of the ancient town is clearly expressed in the town plans. Ancient Tragurion lies at the eastern end of the islet; this spread out in the earlier medieval period, and the plan of two concentric circles of houses and streets, within the former walls, is still visible. The medieval suburb of Pasike developed to the west on a different alignment, and was enclosed by the later fortifications. The port was located on the south side. Finally, the massive Venetian fortifications incorporated the Genoese fortress known as the Camerlengo. The townscape of Trogir is determined by the pattern of, for the most part, narrow streets. Its homogeneity is stressed by the predominant local limestone, now mellowed by time with a golden patina.

Construction of the Cathedral of St Lawrence, built on the site of an earlier basilica and dominating the main square, began around 1200. The south portal was finished in 1213, Master Radovan finished the main west portal in 1240, and the walls were completed by the mid of the 13th century. The main nave was vaulted in the first half of the 15th century and the bell tower was added in the late 16th century. This relatively protracted period of construction has meant that successive architectural styles – Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance – are well represented.

The Cathedral is flanked by one of the fine public buildings of Trogir, the Town Hall, from the 14th and 15th centuries. This was extensively restored in the 19th century, but retains its Renaissance appearance and contains many original features in place.

Of the numerous palaces of the aristocracy of the town, the Cipico Palace, facing the west end of the Cathedral, is the most outstanding, covering an entire town block. Throughout the town and in particular around the ramparts, there are palaces of the other leading families Cega, Vitturi, Lucie, Garagnin Fanfogna, Paitoni, Statileo, Andreis. Many of these rise directly from the foundations of Late Classical or Romanesque structures and are in all styles from Gothic to Baroque. All the remains of the successive fortifications of the town are the Camerlengo fortress and one of the bastions of the Venetian defences.....

Trogir is a stunning historical town. Everywhere you turn, there're beautiful views waiting for you. There's another particularly glorious view to enjoy- and that is view of Split city. Indeed, Trogir offers a great view of both Kaštela and Split. To gaze into the distance and admire my city and the islands- a precious experience . Čiovo island in particular always look inviting, doesn't it? You can get to it by the new bridge now. You can also opt for a more romantic option and get there by a boat. 

NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW SUSTAINABLE THIS OUTFIT IS!

I pulled the old- wear your swimsuit as a top trick here.  It was extremely hot that day. So, when my friend called me, I was just wearing my swimsuit (as I usually do in my room). I just put on a mini skirt and then I realized that it's too hot to wear anything else, so I just went with that. I figured we were just going for a cup of coffee so I needn't worry. 

All the items in this look are old, some of them very old. So, again, quite a sustainable styling.

We ended up going to a museum. Well, the museum staff wasn't fussy and there was no dress code, but next time I'll remember to pack a long scarf or pareo just to be on the safe side. You never know what opportunity might present itself. 

THE BLACK SWIMSUIT- old

I don't have a single photograph of this swimsuit because I don't pose in swimwear, but I do have one summer outfit photographed with it. In 2020, I styled it with a floral skirt and wore it as a top. So, this is not the first time I'm pulling that swimwear as a top trick. Anyway, I had it for years and I go swimming often, so I think the number of wears is probably around 120.

THE TROPICAL PRINT LEATHER SANDALS I've had this pair for years and I wear them all the time. The sandals are incredibly comfortable but without that 'ugly sandal vibe' going on if you know what I mean. This pair is just pretty. 

1-30) In 2021, I published 30 WAYS TO WEAR A PAIR OF TROPICAL SANDALS. I love coming back to this visual guide for more inspiration on styling this versatile pair. 

31) I wore them with a white dress and a big straw hat for a visit to Buna ten days ago. 

32)...with a dark pattern pencil skirt and a yellow tip (plus the big hat of course) in 2021.

33-35 ) with two different outfits (maxi green dress and a blue midi dress) in 2023.

36-37) worn two different outfits ( with Ozz skirt and with denim skirt) in 2023.

38) worn with a white cherry print dress and an off white tote bag in 2025.

39) worn with a floral print ruffled mini dress and a red bag in 2025.

THE MODA IN LIGHT GREY MINI SKIRT WITH DOTS

1) worn with a striped Peter Pan blouse in 2019.

2) with a white tunics in 2019.

3) with Stanka Zovko teagreen blouse in 2024.

4) with a floral dress (worn as a top) and heels in 2016.

5) with my husband's undershirt and high heels in 2015.

6) with a graphic tee and a redbubble tote in 2018.

7) with a red flared top in 2019. 

...and I'm sure I can find more looks but I'm running out of time.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT SLAVA RAŠKAJ, A CROATIAN ARTIST

CITED FROM WIKIPEDIA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slava_Ra%C5%A1kaj

Slava Raškaj (pronounced [slǎːʋa rǎʃkaj]; 2 January 1877 – 29 March 1906) was a Croatian painter, considered to be the greatest Croatian watercolorist of the late 19th and early 20th century. Deaf since birth, Raškaj was schooled in Vienna and Zagreb, where her mentor was the renowned Croatian painter Bela Čikoš Sesija. In the 1890s her works were exhibited around Europe, including at the 1900 Expo in Paris. In her twenties Raškaj was diagnosed with acute depression and was institutionalised for the last three years of her life before dying in 1906 from tuberculosis in Zagreb. The value of her work was largely overlooked by art historians in the following decades, but in the late 1990s and early 2000s interest in her work was revived.

Slava was born as Friderika Slavomira Olga Raškaj on 2 January 1877 into a middle class family (her mother Olga ran the local post office which was at the time a prestigious administrative position) in the town of Ozalj in present-day Croatia (at the time in the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, a subdivision within Austria-Hungary).^[1] Olga liked painting in her free time and she passed her love for arts very early on to both her daughters Slava and Paula (Paula later worked as a schoolteacher in Orahovica and also continued to paint casually in adulthood).^[1]

When she was eight, Salva was sent to Vienna to enroll at a school for deaf people where she first learned to draw. Her drawings from that period mainly depict casts of classical sculptures drawn in pencil or ink (two of these drawings survived and are kept on display at the Croatian School Museum at Republic of Croatia Square in Zagreb).^[1] During her time in Vienna she also learned German and French and in later years moved on to watercolor and gouache techniques before returning to Ozalj in 1893.^{[citation needed]}

Upon her return, the local schoolteacher Ivan Muha-Otoić noticed her artistic talent and urged her parents to send her to Zagreb for further art instructions at the renowned painter Vlaho Bukovac's atelier in 1895 (as Bukovac was a friend of Muha-Otoić). Once in Zagreb, Bukovac refused to help her but then Bela Čikoš Sesija took her in and began instructing her in his own studio in 1896. She spent the next few years working with Sesija - she lived at what was then the State Institute for Deaf-mute Children (Zemaljski zavod za odgoj gluhonijeme djece) on Ilica Street, and she used a local morgue as her studio (in the meantime her former teacher from Ozalj Ivan Muha-Otoić became director of the Institute in 1895).^[1][2]

Raškaj's repertoire was peculiar at the time - she painted somewhat macabre paintings of still life, watercolors with unusual objects such as a starfish, a silver jewelry chest, and even more interesting, pairs of objects such as a red rose and an owl, or a lobster and a fan.

In the late 1890s she started painting en plein air, depicting outdoor scenes from the Zagreb Botanical Garden, Maksimir Park and other parks in the city, featuring somewhat lighter tones and colors.^[1] In 1899 she returned to her hometown of Ozalj and continued to paint outdoors, which was also unusual at the time. Her most valuable paintings were all created in the 1890s, including works such as Self-portrait, Spring in Ozalj, The Old Mill and others. Her works were first publicly exhibited at the Art Pavilion in Zagreb^[3] soon after it opened in 1898, where six of her watercolors were presented along with the works of renowned painters such as Menci Klement Crnčić and Vlaho Bukovac. Her paintings were also exhibited in Saint Petersburg, in Moscow and at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900, where five of her paintings were shown.^[1]

In 1900 first symptoms of depression began to appear. She was hospitalised but soon after that she was released for home care. However, her condition deteriorated further and Slava was eventually institutionalised at a psychiatric hospital in Stenjevec in 1902. She completely stopped painting in her last years, and died on 29 March 1906 from tuberculosis.^[1]

* Text taken from the official site of Trogir museum:

63 years after the first exhibition in Dalmatia and 17 years after the last exhibition held in Croatia, the works of Slava Raškaj, one of the most important Croatian painters from the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, are coming to Trogir for the first time! On Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 9:00 PM, the exhibition SLAVA RAŠKAJ from Private Collections opens in the exhibition space of the Trogir City Museum!

"Every opportunity to encounter the work of Slava Raškaj, an artist whose life has become a legend, is especially precious, and given the fact that the last exhibition of her works in Dalmatia was held back in 1962, the preciousness of such an opportunity is all the greater"- it was stated in the foreword written by  Ivan Manca Cipek, PhD.

The exhibition Slava Raškaj from Private Collections brings 32 watercolors and gouaches painted in the period covering six years, that is from 1894 to 1900.

“Although this is a small collection of works gathered from several private collections, it is still possible to directly refer to the painting of Slava Raškaj. It is also possible to gain an idea of her thematic and stylistic range, and be convinced of the excellence of his painting. The fact that this is so speaks of the collector’s criteria, but also of the quality of the work itself: the strength of the artistic expression is proven even in a small sample,” concludes  Mance Cipek.

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue by editor Aleksandra Bilić Petričević, which includes the text of the foreword by author Dr. Sc. Ivana Mance Cipek and photographs by Maja Maljković Zelalija, while the graphic design is by Dean Berlan. The realization of the exhibition and the printing of the catalogue were made possible by the kindness of Robert Pešutić, Darko Kalečak, and Zdravko Mihočinec, as well as funds from the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Trogir.

After last year's Salvador Dali exhibition, the Trogir City Museum has prepared a real exhibition treat this summer, which you can enjoy until August 3, 2025.* every day from 10 am to 1 pm and 6 pm to 9 pm! This is an exceptional opportunity to view the works of the famous Croatian painter, and admission to the exhibition is completely free!

Welcome!

*NOTICE: the exhibition has been extended until August 17, 2025.

Preseno sa službene stranice trogirskog muzeja: 

63 godine nakon prve izložbe u Dalmaciji i 17 godina nakon posljednje izložbe održane u Hrvatskoj, djela Slave Raškaj, jedne od najvažnijih hrvatskih slikarica s prijelaza 19. na 20. stoljeće, prvi put dolaze u Trogir! U utorak, 1. srpnja 2025. u 21:00 sat u izložbenom prostoru Muzeja grada Trogira otvara se izložba SLAVA RAŠKAJ iz privatnih zbirki!

Svaka prilika za suočavanje s djelom Slave Raškaj, umjetnice čiji je život postao legenda, posebno je dragocjena, a s obzirom na činjenicu da se posljednja izložba njenih djela u Dalmaciji održala davne 1962., dragocjenost takve prilike tim je veća, piše u predgovoru dr. sc. Ivana Mance Cipek.

Izložba Slava Raškaj iz privatnih zbirki donosi 32 akvarela i gvaša naslikana u razdoblju od 1894. do 1900. godine.

“Premda se radi, dakle, o nevelikom skupu djela sabranom iz nekoliko privatnih kolekcija, na temelju njega moguće je neposredno se uputiti u slikarstvo Slave Raškaj, steći predodžbu o njegovu tematskom i stilskom rasponu te se uvjeriti u vrsnoću slikarske izvedbe. Činjenica da je tome tako, govori o kriterijima sabiratelja, ali i o kvaliteti opusa po sebi: snaga umjetničkog iskaza dokazuje se i na malenome uzorku.”, zaključuje dr. sc. Mance Cipek.

Izložba je popraćena katalogom urednice Aleksandre Bilić Petričević koji donosi tekst predgovora autorice dr. sc. Ivane Mance Cipek i fotografije Maje Maljković Zelalije, dok grafičko oblikovanje potpisuje Dean Berlan. Realizacija izložbe i tisak kataloga omogućeni su ljubaznošću Roberta Pešutića, Darka Kalečaka i Zdravka Mihočineca te sredstvima Ministarstva kulture i medija Republike Hrvatske i Grada Trogira.

 

Nakon prošlogodišnje izložbe Salvadora Dalija, Muzej grada Trogira i ovog je ljeta priredio pravu izložbenu poslasticu u kojoj možete uživati do 3. kolovoza 2025.* svakog dana 10 – 13 te  18 – 21 sat! Izuzetna je ovo prilika za razgledavanje djela znamenite hrvatske slikarice, a pritom je ulaz na izložbu potpuno besplatan!

Dobro došli!

 

*OBAVIJEST: izložba je produžena do 17. kolovoza 2025. godine.

Collage with painting of Croatian artist Slava Raškaj

P.S. 

The free exhibition is still opened today!!!!!

FROM 2015 TO 2O25, I PUBLISHED A NUMBER OF POSTS ABOUT TROGIR

Feel free to check out my PREVIOUS VISITS TO TROGIR CITY

TROGIR CITY SUMMER 2015

TROGIR CITY PART 1 2019

TROGIR CITY PART 2 2019

VISIT TROGIR CITY WITH ME 2021!

TROGIR CITY AUTUMN 2022

TROGIR CITY SPRING 2025 (PART 1)

TROGIR CITY SPRING 2025 (PART 2) 

As always, thank you for visiting and commenting!