Exhibition series ‘Vlaho Bukovac in Europe’: 3/3 Between Light and Shadow: The Prague Period, 1903 – 1922 [12 November 2026 – 14 March 2027]

The Klovićevi Dvori Gallery continues its exhibition cycle Vlaho Bukovac in Europe with the third and final exhibition dedicated to Bukovac’s artistic output in Prague, entitled Between Light and Shadow: Vlaho Bukovac – The Prague Period, 1903–1922.

The exhibition cycle dedicated to one of Croatia’s most significant artists encompasses three periods of Bukovac’s life, each centred on one of the three key locations that shaped his artistic career: Paris, Zagreb and Prague. The first two exhibitions generated exceptional interest among audiences and the media, attracting more than 50,000 visitors and receiving numerous professional awards.

The upcoming third and final exhibition in the Bukovac in Europe cycle, preparations for whose imminent opening are now in full swing at the gallery in Zagreb’s Upper Town, explores Vlaho Bukovac’s two-decade Prague period in the context of Czech art history. The arrival of paintings from abroad is also eagerly anticipated in the coming weeks.

This was the most spiritually intriguing phase of Bukovac’s career, during which he created paintings that differed markedly from his previous oeuvre, such as Fantasy and The Cabinet of Future Glory, alongside numerous other compelling works spanning a wide range of subjects, from portraits and allegories to sumptuous nudes. The exhibition will also feature numerous works from Bukovac’s Prague period that continue to appear at auctions across Europe, consistently attracting considerable attention.

The exhibition will run from 12 November 2026 to 14 March 2027.

Many of the works on display will be presented to Croatian audiences for the first time. These include works from the National Gallery Prague, the Museum of Czech Literature, the Prague City Gallery, as well as museums and collections in Austria, Slovenia, Serbia and Bulgaria. In addition, numerous works come from private collections throughout Croatia. A particularly valuable component of the exhibition is a remarkable body of Vlaho Bukovac’s religious paintings.

The exhibition offers the first comprehensive presentation of Bukovac’s work in Prague, summarising the artist’s contribution to the city’s cultural environment and interpreting the grand culmination of his artistic career.

In 2028, the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery will also publish an English-language monograph bringing together the findings of several years of research. The publication will be intended to promote Bukovac’s work both in Croatia and internationally.

The exhibition is curated by Dr Petra Vugrinec and Lucija Vuković, with Iva Sudec Andreis serving as exhibition curator. One of the catalogue essays is written by Dr Vjera Borozan, a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague.

The exhibition is held under the high patronage of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

The exhibition is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, the City of Zagreb and the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery.