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 these two visits, I also attended an art exhibition by 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. Slava Raškaj is a name practically everyone in Croatia knows, because many schools are named after her. So, growing up, it was a name I kept hearing. However, neither did I know about this Slava exhibition in Trogir, nor was that the reason for my visit. I happened on it by pure chance during one of my visits. Lucky me! However, I've always admired Slava Raškaj and wanted to see her works in person. Thank you Trogir town 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. Not that I can do it too often, as I work in three shifts, and typically finish work around ten pm. Consequently, my visits to Trogir are often rushed and short these days, as I'm not vacationing. I have been working full time this entire Summer, with only one free day per week. Still, I managed to get around somehow. 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! I hope to visit it at least once more before the Summer ends.
What shall I talk about first? The outfits or the city? Maybe we can start with the outfits and get those 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, the famous medieval fortress Kamerlengo Castle and many boats.
Trogir does have a lovely promenade. The promenade itself has a number of lovely cafes and restaurants on the promenade. There are also great ice-cream and gelato options if you're looking for something to help you cool down. All the ice-creams I had in Trogir were really good, and I tried them out in different shops.
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. As you know, I love that all- be a tourist in your own county philosophy.
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?
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)
THE RED CROSSOVER LEATHER BAG (gifted, a friend got it for me)
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. I love the retro vibes of this green dress.
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.
This inspiring Mediterranean city has attracted many great masters ever since the time of the ancient Greeks. These masters lived in Trogir and created some of their most famous masterpieces here. Various artists, writers, craftsmen and travelers found their inspiration in Trogir and have left behind numerous marks of their work.
Trogir is the City of Masters, the city which slowly but convincingly pulls us into an enchanted labyrinth of beauty, into narrow stone streets made of yellow smooth stone. The colours of the stone remind us of the colours of the warm, afternoon sun.
This City of Masters began its master story with the portal of Master Radovan, Muscardelli, Aleši, Blaž Jurjev Trogiranin, Firentinac and Duknović. These masters marked a turning point in the history of Trogir, placing it at the very top of the art world. The Romanesque art of Radovan's portal describes the humanistic truth of redemption and shows us that good and love always outweigh evil. Signs or marks that the masters have left will never be forgotten. They bear witness to the fact that these people were not only creating here, as can be seen in their numerous works, but also that they were enjoying life, as shown by the various games carved around the Church of St. John the Baptist and at the entrance of the Cathedral.
The masters' signs invite us to discover and explore. They arouse curiosity and with each new discovery we feel happiness and contentment. In these signs we will find the pieces of life and struggle against oblivion, but also the personal signs of masters who wanted to mark their authorship over particular building or sculpture. Once we visit Trogir, we create the memories that we will always carry in our hearts..... cited from https://trogir.hr/turisti/
LET'S TALK SOME MORE ABOUT SOME OF TROGIR WELL KNOWN HISTORICAL FIGURES - IVAN LUČIĆ AND MASTER RADOVAN
CITED FROM WIKIPEDIA
He was a member of the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome in whose catacombs he was buried after his death in January 1679.
.....
Johannes Lucius was the first Dalmatian historian who critically examined and used historical sources: documents and chronicles, inscriptions and last wills.[1][2] His historical methodology was far ahead of his time.
He corresponded with many famous people from Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik), especially Stefano Gradi, the head of the Vatican Library. His numerous letters, revealing him as a man of integrity and a skillful writer are a valuable fresco of the conditions of his time.
Lucius' work, written in a lapidary and clear style, based on critical considerations, is the cornerstone of the modern historiography about Dalmatia.[7] Today in Croatia, Lucius is considered the father of modern contemporary Croatian historiography.[1][2]
You can read his principal work- History of Dalmatia (Historia di Dalmatia) here.
Radovan (Latin: Raduan) was a Croatian sculptor and architect who lived in Trogir in the 13th century. In Croatian he is commonly referred to as Majstor Radovan or "Master Radovan". Virtually no information exists about the personality and career of this artist, save for his monumental Romanesque portal of the Trogir cathedral.
Radovan inscribed his name and the year of the making of the main portal, 1240, on the lunette above the entrance:
The text informs us that master Radovan was the best in the art of sculpture and that the project was completed at the time when a Tuscan, Treguan from Florence, had been the bishop of Trogir.
That Radovan was a native son of Trogir (Traù) is attested, among other things, by his name, which figures frequently in Trogir's municipal archives in the 13th century.
The portal consists of four parts: on the doorjamb, the nude figures of Adam and Eve,[1] supported by lions; inside are numerous reliefs depicting the Labors of the Months as well as hunting scenes; and finally in the middle are scenes from the life of Christ: from the Annunciation to the Resurrection – positioned in arches around the tympanum. Finally, in tympanum is the Birth of Christ. The figures are very realistic, recalling French Gothic sculpture, including the sculpture at Chartres Cathedral.
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.
TROGIR AND FASHION
Two notable fashion figures are from this little historical town, a Dalmatian /Italian designer Mila Schön (real name Maria Carmen Nutrizio), and topmodel Faretta Marić. Faretta was born in 1998. She was scounted in Trogir when she was 16. Debuting as a Givenchy exclusive in 2016,[2] in addition to opening for Victoria Beckham, Roberto Cavalli, Mugler, and closing Chloé; she also walked for designers including Saint Laurent, Céline, Miu Miu, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Dior, Alberta Ferretti, Isabel Marant, Marc Jacobs, Versace, Prada, Alexander Wang, Michael Kors, Valentino, Fendi, and Ralph Lauren.[3][4] W magazine chose her as one of the 15 breakout models of the spring 2017 fashion week,[5] while Vogue stated, "It's rare for a model to have the total package of a powerful walk, commanding presence, and next-level beauty, but somehow Faretta managed it."[6]Faretta has been the face of Ralph Lauren,[7][8] and brands like Blumarine,[9] Salvatore Ferragamo, Valentino, Zara, Lanvin, and Miu Miu.[10] She has appeared on the cover of Vogue Russia, Vogue Japan, British Vogue,[11] Vogue Spain, and Vogue Germany.[8] She has also appeared in W, Vogue, Vogue Italia, Vogue Paris, Harper's Bazaar, and V.[12][13][14][15]
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 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.
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.
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]
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| Slava Raškaj, a self-portrait |
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]
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.
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| Collage with painting of Croatian artist Slava Raškaj |
P.S.
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 PART 1 2019
TROGIR CITY PART 2 2019
VISIT TROGIR CITY WITH ME 2021!
TROGIR CITY SPRING 2025 (PART 1)
TROGIR CITY SPRING 2025 (PART 2)
As always, thank you for visiting and commenting!
Boa tarde. Um excelente domingo e bom início de semana minha querida amiga Ivana. A cidade parece ser maravilhosa, suas fotos indicam isso. Com certeza foi um passeio maravilhoso e a visita à museus é sempre interessante e cheia de aprendizado e novas culturas. Grande abraço carioca. Obrigado pelos comentários.
ReplyDeleteObrigada!
DeleteThe city is so pretty, and so are you. I love the green patterned dress.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteEs una linda ciudad. te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteGracias!
DeleteI really like the city of Trogir! It is very beautiful!
ReplyDeleteТрогиг ето сказка. Спосибо! Thank you. Trogir is a dream!
DeleteBeautiful post, as always. Thank you for describing the life and work of Slava Raškaj. These few of her pictures show that she is a great artist. Proof that even disabilities (in this case deafness) are not an insurmountable obstacle to being a historically great person in art, sports, politics and everything else. Trogir is now my favorite place, which I will have to visit as soon as possible because it is simply perfect - even more so thanks to you. Thank you for teaching and motivating us for many beautiful things dear Ivana🤩⛪especially about the phenomenal cathedral in Trogir and the beautiful and preserved fortresses. I wish you a pleasant working week with many such beautiful and relaxing moments 🌹🇭🇷👋
ReplyDeleteThank you, Leone! She was a great artist.
DeleteHow lovely that Trogir Town is near your place of work, so that you can visit it often. It definitely sounds like a most interesting town and I'm loving the sound of the Slava Raškaj exhibition. I wasn't familiar with her, so than you for the introduction.
ReplyDeleteI'm swooning over that green and black geometrical print mini dress! xxx
Not as often as I would like, but still I managed a couple of short visits.
DeleteThanks, I took that photograph not too long ago.
DeleteI like both outfits and it looks like a gorgeous place. Love that reflection photo of the church on the water :-D
ReplyDeleteThanks, I took that photograph not too long ago.
DeleteI might use this photo as a reference for a painting.
DeleteLove both outfits. The green is a great bold print. The watercolor paintings are also so beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Hena. I love green.
DeleteWhat a lovely town! I didn't hear about Slava Raškaj, thank you for introducing her to the readers. I love both outfits, they look so young and summery, especially the patterned dress is very unusual wich I like very much.
ReplyDeleteHave a good time! xx
I love the retro vibes of this green dress, too!
DeleteYour post makes me feel like I’m there. You’re as beautiful or more than the location you’re in.
ReplyDeleterkrsrue.blogspot.com
Thank you dear.
DeleteThanks for your diligent research, providing such detailed information. I enjoyed pictures of you in your mini-skirt too!
ReplyDeleteGreat outfit and very interesting post 😊 Have a nice day 😊
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteI am impressed and enamoured with Slava's story, a true legend... tragic but beautiful. I also think about what she went through in the hospital at that time. Her work, from what little I have seen, is very beautiful, perfect!
I like the passionate way you talk about the places in your country and its history. Trogir is indeed a city with many points of interest, both from a religious and commercial point of view, with those ice cream parlours and terraces!
As for your sustainable looks, they really suit you. A swimsuit that doubles as a top when worn with a skirt gives clothes other possibilities. The retro dress is perfect for this historic city! You wear these clothes with great charisma!
Have a great week!
Such a stunning place, one day i wil get there!
ReplyDeleteI love the green dress, the graphic print is so 1960s inspired! xxx