Do you know the story about the Glyptotheque of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts?
When strolling along Tkalèiæeva Street, after you pass through a stir of cafés and a sea of people swaying down this particular street, when you find yourself desiring an escape from the crowds and the sounds that grow fainter with each advancing step, you will reach a wide street that is lined with tall old trees and is filled with shade. This is a sign that you have reached Medvedgradska Street, which is seamy at first glance and appears to lack in head turning content until you catch a glimpse of the street’s first façade. The façade is a part of an unusually long brick building, whose exterior walls are covered in ivy, and it will certainly attract your attention. Once a tannery, this building now houses the Glyptotheque of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Construction of this once tannery building began back in 1864. With time, the tannery developed into Zagreb’s largest industrial plant. Despite a fire that destroyed most of the plant in 1926, the tannery did not shut down until 1938.
The function of this impressive tannery building, attractive because of its accessibility and spacious surroundings, was quickly changed into the Gypsotheque (Gipsoteka) museum because of the initiative of its founder, professor Dr. Antun Bauer. The Glyptotheque (from the Greek glyptos – carved and theka – case) originally housed a collection of gems and was later expanded to become a sculpture museum. The name Gypsotheque was changed to Glyptotheque in 1950 and has since been a constituent part of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The greatest collection of sculptures and original pieces of Croatian art from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as plaster casts, are housed and displayed in this museum.
The original Gypsotheque museum, established in 1937 solely to exhibit plaster casts used to create immoveable monuments representing Croatia’s cultural heritage, today houses a plaster cast collection of 13 000 items, separated into nine different collections. Here, sculpture creations from antiquity to present day may be seen. During the year 2000, a beautifully arranged Sculpture Park was created alongside the existing museum complex, enabling one to stroll from sculpture to sculpture in a deeply shady environment, while taking pleasure in the park’s beauty and peaceful ambience.
Because of the extent of its holdings and the role it serves, the Glyptotheque is an important educational institution that, amongst all else, offers plenty of research opportunities. Sculpture creations housed here cover a vast period of time and are arranged chronologically from the 5th century B.C. to modern day, with one of the most significant of collections being the Collection of Croatian Historical Monuments. All other collections are worth mention as well because each and every one of them has exceptional value, including the collection of plaster casts of sculptures of antiquity that date back from the 5th century B.C. to the 1st century B.C., which came to exists at the museum with the help of Dr. Izidor Kr¹njavi.
The collection of plaster casts used to create fragments of immoveable monuments that represent Croatia’s cultural heritage from the 9th to the 15th century is composed of 129 items, Croatian works of art that have cultural-historic (documentary) and artistic value. Within this collection, a special unit is dedicated to a collection of casts from ©ibenik’s Sv. Jakov (St. Jacob) cathedral, the work of sculptor and builder Juraj Matejev Dalmatinac (15th century). This cathedral was Juraj’s (otherwise known as George of Dalmatia) masterpiece and it has been placed on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites. Only one segment of the collection of copies of Frescos from the 11th to the 16th century are on display at the museum, which represent only a segment of the series actually found in the church of Sv. Marija (St. Mary) of ©krilinah, near Berma in Istria. Twenty-nine items originating from the time period between the 13th and 16th centuries have been displayed amongst the museum’s collection of plaster casts of stechaks. Stechaks are a unique kind of monolithic headstone created in the Middle Ages, primarily in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia (Dalmatia, Slavonia, Dalmatinska Zagora and Lika), Montenegro and Serbia.
The permanent display of Croatian sculpture from the 19th to the 21st century includes 243 items, the works of 65 artists. Most of the collection consists of original works: sculptures in durable materials (bronze, wood, Perspex, stainless steel…), a number of works originally created in plaster of Paris, and a smaller number of plaster copies of original works. This is the largest and most systematically assembled collection of modern Croatian sculptures that provides an overview of Croatian sculpting, dating back from mid 19th century to present day.
Through the collection of medals and plaques, where a vast majority of works by Croatian artists from the 19th century to present day may be found, it is possible to track the development of medal making in Croatia from both stylistic and morphological points of view. And finally, in the study collection of sketches made by Croatian artists, the works of famous people from the world of Croatian modern art, including sculpting, painting and graphics design may be found.
It is the concept behind the Glyptotheque, as well as its wealthy and diverse holdings, that make it unique and enable for its permanent displays. The Glyptotheque organizes many exhibitions in association with other Croatian museums, as well as with various museums abroad. The purpose served by the Glyptotheque is unique in Croatia, as well as in Europe where very few institutions of its kind may be found. We may be proud that this great wealth, whose value and beauty enhances the reputation of our city, is available to us on a daily basis. The Glyptotheque’s doors are open to all visitors and culture lovers who may walk through our museum and take part in the magnificent ambience found only here.
