Conference paper
THE BEQUEST OF ANDRO VID MIHIČIĆ: AN INTIMATE COLLECTION OF WORKS OF ART AND THOUGHTS
Irena Dlaka
; Lošinjski muzej, Mali Lošinj, Hrvatska
Abstract
Andro Vid Mihičić (1896-1992), historian of art and long-time lecturer at the Art Academy in Zagreb, art critic and poet, born in Beli on the
island of Cres, donated a valuable collection of works of art by modern Croatian artists (Vidović, Meštrović, Parač, Filakovac, Kršinić, Radauš, Penić, Kerdić, Krstulović and others) and most of
his manuscripts to his native town in 1988. During his lifetime he had three of his collections of poems published (Footprints in the Dust, Knocking on the Gates of Secrets and Illusions and Presumptions),
as well as a collection of sayings and aphorisms (Probes). Out of the bequest of some 360 drawings, paintings and sculptures, some 50
of the most valuable were selected and exhibited in 1993 in the permanent exhibition of the Andro Vid Mihičić Collection of Croatian Masters at the Fritzy palace in Mali Lošinj. A separate section of
the exhibition is composed of paintings and sculptures that depict the patron and his spouse, but because of a lack of space the museum was not in a position to present in an adequate manner Mihičić’s rich literary bequest. History of art and literature in Mihičić’s bequest
are inseparable. He wrote critical reviews that touched on the majority of the authors in his collection, and he even dedicated some of his poems to individual artists. This is why this part of his literary work should be included in the new permanent exhibition of the Mihičić Collection that is being planned. Presentations through multimedia, specially digitised spoken words by the interpreter
of texts, would give life to the museological space and would better present to visitors the context of the origin and the characteristics of the collection. The literary and publishing activities of the
museum should be systematically harnessed to prepare Mihičić’ manuscripts for publication, especially the part of his work that remained unpublished by chance (a study of Tintoretto, a monograph
about Dujmo Petrić, a monograph about Emanuel Vidović and others). The actual archive material, as a sensitive but very valuable source of Mihičić’s creative work and the time in which he worked should be given scholarly treatment and digitised so as to be readily
available to the public. By bringing together the work of museums, libraries (publishers) and archives, all with the help of modern computer technology, it is possible to provide an integral and broadly accessible presentation of an author and his work. It is fortunate that the Lošinj Museum holds such a complex and inspirational bequest like the one from Andro Vid Mihičić, historian of art and poet.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
76965
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2007.
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