Creative workshops accompanying the exhibition “The Mystery of Master Fortezza – The Šibenik Engraver’s European Legacy”

We invite you to join the creative workshops accompanying the exhibition “The Mystery of Master Fortezza – The Šibenik Engraver’s European Legacy” on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Registration is required at: artionica@gkd.hr

The workshops are for children from 6 to 15 years of age.

• Master Oracio Fortezza is a late Renaissance master goldsmith and engraver from Šibenik, who demonstrated his knowledge of antiquity, classical literature, and contemporary artistic guidelines on his exquisitely engraved brass jugs and dishes. He was among the few applied artists who signed their pieces. Not only did he sign with his first and last name, but he emphasized that he was from Šibenik or that the piece was done in Šibenik.

1. PAINTING WORKSHOP – matricula of the brotherhood of St. John the Baptist, 16th century, Šibenik, The Interpretation Centre of St James Cathedral ”Civitas Sacra”

September 21^st: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Fortezza was the scribe of the Brotherhood of St. John the Baptist from 1561 to 1569. He decorated the brotherhood’s matricula with numerous drawings, the most famous of which is a watercolor painting of St. John the Baptist over the entire page.

TASK: painting the saints with all their attributes by which we recognize them, for example St. Barbara is depicted with a palm branch, a cannon, and a tower…

2. SCULPTURE WORKSHOP – a jug of the Venetian patrician family Cicogna, Šibenik, around 1560, bronze; Victoria and Albert Museum, London

September 28^th: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

It is the only known work by Fortezza with a cast handle sculpturally shaped into a 3D figure of a long-necked dragon. The entire surface of the jug is filled with engravings.

TASK: make a jug in clay with depictions of animals and plant ornaments based on the jug of the Venetian patrician family Cicogna.

3. DRAWING WORKSHOP on an aluminum foil – Display plate with the coat of arms of the Grimani family, Šibenik, 1555 – 1575?, brass; Šibenik City Museum

October 5^th: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

TASK: We will draw a coat of arms on thicker aluminum foil of silver or gold color, which we will patinate with black ink when finished. We will create an imaginary coat of arms of our family.

4. GRAPHIC WORKSHOP

October 12^th: 11 am – 12:30 pm

Graphic art flourished in the 16^th century, especially etching and copper engraving. The most important representative in Dalmatia was the painter and graphic artist Andrija Medulić Schiavone, who probably influenced the work of Fortezza.

TASK: since Fortezza also carved medallions with portraits of Roman rulers on his trays, as well as a wide repertoire of animal depictions (dolphins, peacocks, birds, horses…), plant ornaments, various mythological creatures, and floral decorations, we will incise some of the given elements into the copper plate with a special graphic tool and print it with the help of a graphic press.

We also organize workshops for kindergarteners and schoolers every working day except Monday! Previous registration is required at: artionica@gkd.hr

Workshops for adults are still held every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Text: Liljana Velkovski  
Museum advisor, museum educator, Artionica workshop manager