EMIL HILJE: BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

 

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Emil Hilje: The Activity of Marko Andrijić at Pag (summary)

The construction of Saint Mary at Pag started in 1443 and lasted, with several interruptions and changes of architects, till the end of the 15th century. Its first builders were two brothers, Pavao and Juraj Dimitrov from Zadar. It is also known that Juraj Dalmatinac entered into the contract for the building (or completion) of its front, though he never carried it out. Based on a comparison of the columns and capitals on the inside with the stylistic features of the ciborium of the cathedral at Korčula C. Fisković submits that they may be a handwork of Marko Andrijić.
As a document from 1492 shows, Andrijić really worked on the church for which he, together with Nicola Alegreti, recevied a pay of seventy ducats. However, since the church was dedicated in 1487, we must assume that the arcades, along with the walls of the central nave and the lateral aisles, as well as the roofing, had already been completed by that time and that the mentioned payment concerns some other works. Namely, at that period the completion of the front was already under way, as the litigation between the procurator and the son of Juraj Dalmatinac carried on in September 1491 proves. On the aforesaid occasion the procurator rejected Master's son offer to carry out his father's engagement. Therefore it is highly probable that the front was completed by Marko Andrijić in collaboration with Nicola Algreti. The hypothesis may be further corroborated by the reliefs on the upper part of the front, showing considerable analogies with the verified works by this master, particularly the figure of the Virgin which is betrayed by the same awkward posture and the same treatment of drapery, and whose face bears an expression very much alike that of the figure from the ciborium at Korčula. The same may be said about the faces and hairdresses of the unfinished figures of the Saints George and Michael and the Angel Gabriel.
Therefore, we submit that Marko Andrijić worked on the church of Pag on two occasions: prior to 1487 he articulated its interior by a harmonious row of arcades, sculpturing the capitals by himself while form the end of 1491 till the end of 1492 he completed the front decorating it with figures in high relief, leaving some of them unfinished because the commissioner fell into financial difficulties.
The Pag works add to the known oeuvre of the builder and sculptor from Korčula, confirming his comparatively limited artistic achievements and the dominant Gothic tradition (especially in sculpture) which prevail upon the fresh Renaissance influences.

Emil Hilje: The Early History of the Church and Monastery of St Duje on the island of Pašman (summary)

The earliest history of the Franciscan monastery St Duje on Pašman, the significant cultural and historical monument in Zadar region, has not been completely understood.
On the basis of the archives, the author establishes that first church St Duje was built in 1384 as a simple endowment of family Grisogono near their property on Pašman. It was only in 1389 that Pelgrina Grisogono donated it to the Fransiscans who arrived in Zadar as refugees from Bosnia ten years before. In her testament from 1392 it was written that a monastery should be built around the church.
After its foundation, numerous Zadar families, especially the members of the Grisogono family donated funds to the monastery. Of all the mentioned testaments one that is interesting is from 1418 in which the donator leaves fifteen ducats for the painting for St. Duje's Church. This probably was the money for the painting attributed to "Painter of the Tkon Crucifix" ("Maestro di San Elsino"). If we take into consideration the chronology of events, it is possible to establish with greater certainty that this anonymous master was actually Zadar painter Menegelo Ivanov de Canali.
The appendixes include two so far unpublished construction contracts from the fourteenth century, the first related to St. Duje's church and the other to the church near the port Luka on Dugi Otok which are also donated by the Grisogono family.


Emil Hilje: Notes about Wall Painting in Zadar at the End of the 14th and the Beginning of the 15th Century (summary)

The remains of wall paintings in Zadar from the Gothic period are rare, especially in comparison to those from the Romanesque period, so it seemed that the frescos in the Gothic art period were poorly represented. But some data from the testaments of Zadar citizens from the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century give us a different picture. In these testaments we find requests indicating that some of Zadar churches (St Francis, St Platon, St Stephen, St Nicholas, St Georg, St. Michael) were painted with figurative compositions at the expense of the donators.
In light of such demands and the information that in 1387 Zadar painter Blaž Lukin Banić promised the merchant Nikova Mihovil to decorate the chapel in his house with wall paintings, we get quite a different picture about wall painting in Zadar in the Gothic period. It became more obvious that all churches built or reconstructed during the 14th century (i.e. those that did not have Romanesque fresco decorations) got wall paintings in the 14th or at the beginning of the 15thg century, so that the quantity of such paintings was higher than the remains that we have today indicate.
As far as the quality is concerned the best proff are the remains of frescos recently found in the church of St Simon. Although only one saint figure is sufficienty preserved one can notice that the quality of production is as high as that of painting done on the wood. This brings us to the conclusion that Zadar wall painting quantitatively and qualitatively had a prominent place during the Gothic art period in Dalmatia.


Emil Hilje: Cerchia della pittura zaratina della secondo quarto del Quattrocento (riassunto)

Il patrimonio pittorico zaratino dell'epoca tardogotica, sebbene di modesto volume, è interessante per l'evidenza della sua qualità, in base alla quale le opere conservatesi si distinguono dalla media della produzione di quel tempo in Dalmazia. A Zara si sono conservati sette dipinti: il "Polittico di Ugljan" (nella Collezione francescana), la Madonna con il Bambino (sempre nella Collezione francescana), il frammento di polittico proveniente da Luka, Dugi Otok (all'Esposizione permanente di Arte Sacra), la Madonna che allatta il Bambino dal convento di S. Maria (all'Esposizione permanente di Arte Sacra), la Madonna con il Bambino da Rava (all'Esposizione permanente di Arte Sacra), la "Madonna di Varoš" (all'Esposizione permanente di Arte Sacra) e lo Sposalizio di S. Caterina (nella Collezione della chiesa parrocchiale a Smoković).
Eccetto le ultime due, delle quali la "Madonna di Varoš" è opera firmata di Biagio di Giorgio, e lo Sposalizio di Santa Caterina e opera di un pittore minore della sua cerchia, tutte le altre rappresentano un complesso problema attributivo. E già, stata messa in rilievo la loro affinità reciproca e constatata la loro appartenenza alla cerchia pittorica dalmata. Ma, oltre ad una generica somiglianza, alcune di queste opere rivelano una relazione reciproca più notevole di quanto sia stato finora osservato.
Cosi il frammento di polittico proveniente da Luka rivela notevoli somiglianze con il "Polittico di Ugljan" nel modo di dipingere il Cristo morto, nell'accentuata qualità, e nel sistema identico di punzonatura dell'aureola. La Madonna del convento di S. Maria, paragonata alla Madonna del "Polittico di Ugljan", presenta somiglianze nella definizione delle fisionomie, del drappeggio, del sontuoso trono e delle decorazioni pittoriche. Perciò queste tre opere, insieme agli affreschi nella cappella di S. Duje a Spalato, per i quali è già, stata accertata l'affinità, in un gran numero di dettagli con il "Polittico di Ugljan", vanno considerate lavori dello stesso artista.
Essendo noto che gli affreschi spalatini furono eseguiti da Dujam Marinov Vučković e da Giovanni di Pietro da Milano, indubbiamente l'autore delle opere citate è uno di loro. In base al legame con l'intagliatore Matej Moronzon, la cui influenza à visibila sul frammento proveniente da Luka, per il trattamento magistrale della doratura con leggere dosi dell'elemento "settentrionaleggiante", si può supporre che si tratti di Giovanni di Pietro. In questo caso, la Madonna della Collezione frencescana e probabilmente anche la Madonna di Rava, che sono di qualita, leggermente inferiore, ma rivelano l'appartenenza alla stessa cerchia pittorica, possono essere considerate lavori di Dujam Vučković.
Alla luce di quanto riportato, Giovanni di Pietro appare come il rappresentante di maggior rilievo del "gotico internazionale" in Dalmazia e, tutto considerato, come il portatore chiave di correnti artistiche innovatrici in questa regione.
Al gruppo dei dipinti ricordati, appartenenti alla seconda metà del XV secolo, si deve aggiungere anche un'opera finora sconosciuta. Nella chiesa ortodossa di S. Elia nel villaggio di Ceranje, presso Benkovac, si trova un dipinto di modeste dimensioni (23x57 cm) sul quale, incorniciati da una caratteristica cornice tardogotica, sono rappresentati la Madonna con il Bambino (nel campo inferiore) a il Cristo morto (nel campo superiore). A causa di successive riverniciature non è possibile definire con maggior precisione i caratteri della fattura pittorica, ma l'impressione generale rimanda ad una affinita, con le opere di Biagio di Giorgio e i citati dipinti zaratini.


Emil Hilje: New Facts about the Activity of Zadar Builders in the 14th and 15th Century on the Islands of Zadar (summary)

There are numerous arhives news about the activity of Zadar builders on the north Dalmatian islands. Already known documents tell us that in the Gothic times many churches were built and restructured, such as: St. Nichola's near Luka on Dugi otok, St. Kuzma's and Damjan's in Brbinj, St. Mihovil's in Zaglav, St. Maria's in Sali, St. Duje's on Pašman, St. Anthony's in Otus on Pašman, St. Kuzma's and Damjan's on Ćokovac. There are works done on non-sacral objects (in Otus on Pašman, on St. Mihovil's castle on Ugljan in Preko).
The author adds new facts, so far unknown archive news which show that the mentioned activity was even more developed.
The builder Andrija Desin, so-called Brusac, built St. Jacob's church in Veli Rat on Dugi otok as an endowment for the Fanfogna's family. The builder Bartul, son of Mišul, built from the foundations St. Nichola's church in Božava in 1385. Domol Sturičić repaired a church on Premuda in 1392, and Luka (son of Gaje) worked on St. Peter's church near Poljana on Ugljan in 1397. The builder Šimun (son of Butko) worked from l43l. to 1436. on St. Paul's monastery on the little island Galevac. The roof of St. Lovre's church was done in Kali in 1392. by Grgur Bilšić.
One can conclude on the basis of the archives news that some other sacral buildings on the Zadar islands were built or redone in the Gothic times: St. Thomas's curch in Dobropoljana, St. Thoma's church in Tkon, St. Maria's in Dubovica, St. Maria's near Kukljica, St. Pelegrin's in Kali, St. Jerome's near Kukljica, St. Martin's near Preko, St. Grgur's near Sutomišćica, All Saints' in Ugljan, St. Peter's near Ugljan, St. Jerome's near Ugljan, St. Mihovil's in Neviđane, and St. Krševan's on Maun.
The building activity is thus confirmed as an important segment of the Gothic culture in Zadar area. It was rather modest in its achievement on which the stylistic characteristics are only little indicated in the shape of square apses, pointed arches on the openings with broken up, parly oval arches. The greatest number of the mentioned buildings has not preserved the original outlook and many of them disappeared so the archives news are of great importance as a kind of testimony of developed building activity in those times.


Emil Hilje: A Proposal for Antonio Veneziano at Zadar

While working on the protection and the renovation of St. Simon's church in Zadar (in the past called St. Stephen's), a numerous elements of older constructions were revealed, especially the architectural elements of the early Christian buildings. These discoveries overshadowed a very important discovery of the remains of Gothic frescoes on the northern wall. The frescoes were preserved under a baroque altar. The altar was moved to the nearby space and the paintings were given the primary protection and were presented so that today they are the only witness of the scope of Gothic wall paintings in Zadar. I have already stressed their importance, but some newly found archive data made me go back to them in order to present them in another light.
Unfortunately, the remains are only a small part of a bigger unity of an enlarged imitation of painted wooden poliptychs but on wall surface. The whole composition is divided in three parts and framed in characteristic Gothic profiles. The middle part is significantly wider so it presumably contained a more elaborate scene of which only the back part of a white horse with red harness is preserved - possibly some scene from St. George's life. Each side part contained a figure of a saint. The one in the right is not preserved. Only the upper part of the frame is preserved while the figure in the left has been nicely preserved. Although damaged with chisel (while roughing the surface for new layer of plaster) and with incomplete lower part, it still have the basic features of the painting structure visible. We have a figure of an older saint in his priestly robe. Judging by the contours of the bells in his left hand he presents St. Anthony the Abbot, and painted niche in which he is placed is decorated with elegant floral motives.
There is little doubt that this is the most valuable part of Gothic wall painting on the eastern coast of the Adriatic. Since Gothic wall paintings are scarce not only in Zadar but in whole Dalmatia, it makes is rather difficult to place this work within some wider framework. Nevertheless, harmonious proportions, natural posture and more notably very confident brush strokes without additional layers of paint indicate a master's hand - someone who knew the technique well and who could not have been a provincial worker.
In this light two, so far unknown, documents dated 17th and 20th July 1388 in which the painter Antonio from Venice, a citizen of Zadar, is mentioned as witness, become very important. Namely, at that time the only painter by that name originally from Venice is well known Antonio Veneziano. He did his most important work in the seventies and the eighties of the 14th century in Sienna and Pisa. He stayed in Florence in 1382 and is last mentioned March 1st 1388 when he returned the keys of a rented house in Sienna. If this were the same person, his stay in Zadar would follow immediately after that time and it would be the last words we had about him, probably before the end of his life.
Since we can date the origin of the frescoes on the northern wall of St. Simon's church in Zadar approximately at that time, and their quality indicate that not an ordinary master have created them, we can legitimately compare them to some other works of this master. We find similar features on the saints' figures in Torre degli Angeli near Florence (unfortunately also badly damaged), especially in the figure of St. John who has a similar olderly look and the same brush strokes which mark the eye wrinkles (an obvious individual trait), the hair and the beard.
All of this indicates that the remains of Zadar frescoes can rather safely be attributed to Antonio Veneziano who would thus become part of the gallery of famous Venetians painters who worked for Zadar customers and whose works were (or still are) in Zadar - Paolo Veneziano, Catarino, Nicolo di Pietro and Jacobello del Fiore.


Emil Hilje: Šibenik Stonecutter Petar (Son of Late Matej) of Padua in Zadar (summary)

Petar (Peter), son of late Matej (Mathew), a stone-cutter from Šibenik, worked in Zadar from 1391 to 1394. Documents in the Historical archives in Zadar show that he was paid on two occasions for work done to order of the archbichop of Zadar. In 1393 he undertook to make a rose window for the facade of the church St. Stephen, today the church of St. Simeon, to be modelled on the over the apse of the Cathedral. In the same year he was to execute some work in stone on the Cathedral and, with his co-worker Martin son of Nikoleto, promised one Venturino Pacijev to build a cistern in Otus on the island of Pašman.
Unfortunately, Petar's documented work, the rosette on the façade of St. Simeon is preserved only in fragments. However, of the work he was to use as a model, the rosette over the apse of the Cathedral, more fragments have been preserved. But in view of the usage of the times, that the master was often asked to use his own work as a model, and knowing that Peter worked for the archbishop of Zadar, it is reasonable to suppose that the rosette over the apse of the Cathedral was his work too. Its remains show great similarity in the stonecutter's manner of work to the representative Gothic rosette on the facade of the Cathedral. Thus we can conclude with great certainty that this work of high quality can also be attributed to the same master.


Emil Hilje: Nikola Arbusjanić (Arbušanić) the Master-Builder from Zadar (summary)

Nikola Mihovilov Arbusjanić is one of the important master-builders of the Zadar Gothic period. His fourty years long career (from 1385 to 1425) proves him to be one of the key figures engaged in the process of moulding the late Gothic physiognomy of the city. Archival evidence reveals that he was perhaps the most employed builder of houses, mostly luxurious aristocratic palaces, but that he was also engaged in various other buildiwg enterprises (the erection of churches, hospitals, warehouses, restoration of the city walls and roof constructions). Of special interest was his skill in handling woodwork - making choir seats, wooden church vaults, carved wood sculptures and furniture - and there is no doubt that this skill was expressed in his articulation of interiors. Unfortunately, none of his work have been preserved (or can with certainty be recognized), so that the archives is the only witness to his role in the building enterprises taking place in late Medieval Zadar.


Emil Hilje: Il protomaestro zaratino Andrija Desin (riassunto)

Il protomaestro Andrija Desin è una delle personalià ricordate più spesso negli scritti notarili della città di Zara nel corso del XIV secolo. Possiamo seguirne l'attività dal 1350 al 1394, documenti ritrovati di recente testimoniano che era particolarmente facoltoso e legato alle personalità più in vista del circolo oligarchico zaratino e, quale protomaestro comunale, anche alla maggior parte degli architetti di quel tempo. Risulta inoltre che Andrija non era solo costruttore, come si è ritenuto finora, ma soprattutto progettista-architetto, e che i suoi progetti e le sue direttive improntarono tutti i maggiori interventi edilizi nella Zara angioina.
I documenti hanno confermato che progettò la ricostruzione del castello di S. Michele sull'isola di Ugljan, e del presbiterio della chiesa di S. Michele a Zara, e della chiesa del convento di S. Caterina, e del palazzo del mercante Nikola Mihovilov che non si sono conservati. In base alle concordanze stilistiche, invece, e tenendo presente il ruolo avuto dal maestro nella diffusione delle forme architettoniche gotiche, si può presumere sua anche la progettazione della ricostruzione e della costruzione delle chiese nei possedimenti del convento di Rogovo (Ćokovac, Rogovo, Gorica, Sv. Filip i Jakov), e forse del presbiterio della chiesa di S. Ambroggio a Nin, e della ricostruzione della navata nord della chiesa di S. Simeone a Zara.
Le opere citate rivelano il protomaestro Andrija come il rappresentante di un'espressione stilistica depurata e semplificata, che combina le forme base dell'arte gotica (le absidi quadrate, le volte a crociera costolonate, gli archi acuti, la perforazione caratteristica delle finestre) con l'inclinazione tradizionale verso le solide strutture delle masse murarie in pietra. Inoltre, il suo ruolo di progettista in tutti i maggiori interventi edilizi a Zara, getta nuova luce anche sul quadro complessivo del processo di realizzazione dei complessi architettonici della Dalmazia di quel tempo, vale a dire, dimostra che accanto al committente e all'esecutore dei lavori, vi era spesso una terza figura di esperto - l'architetto, che organizzava l'articolazione artistica dell'edificio.


Emil Hilje: Contribution a la topographie historique des iles de Zadar (résumé)

Des recherches plus systématiques de la toponymie des iles de Zadar ont commencé depuis une quarantaine d'annees. La priorité a été accordée jusqu'à présent à la notification et à la systématisation du matériel linguistique, attesté sur le terrain. Il est entendu que la nécessité d'une recherche historique de la toponymie s'est avérée évidente: elle permettra de parvenir, à la suite d' analyses et de comparaisons, à une interprétation étymologique plus exacte et à une identification géographique plus précise.
Vu la richesse des fonds des archives de Zadar, on peut s'attendre à ce que les informations y conservées contribuent et complètent sensiblement la recherche toponymique par une série de données nouvelles concernant les situations topographiques jusqu'à présent ignorées. L'auteur nous présente les notes topographiques tirées d'un des plus riches fonds des Archives de Zadar, à savoir: Les Registres des notaires de Zadar, depuis ses débuts, c'est-à-dire de la fin du XIVe et du début du XVe siècle.
Dans ces registres, rédigés par vingtneuf notaires on trouve des attestations écrites d'environs 500 formes toponymiques des îles de Zadar, dont: Ugljan, Pašman, Dugi Otok, Iž et Rava. Puisque la transcription des phonèmes croates dans le système orthographique du notaire - en principe d'origine étrangère - présentait souvent d'insurmontables obstacles, un certain nombre d'attestations devrait être soumis à une recherche ultérieure. Mais, en dépit de ce fait, les noms de lieux attestés dans les Registres représentent une base sûre pour les analyses futures et les comparaisons avec les formes toponymiques existantes, ainsi qu' un témoignage de première importance pour les formes linguistiques que la pratique contemporaine a abandonées.


Emil Hilje: Les noms de familles de la noblesse de Zadar dans la toponymie de la région de Zadar au bas moyan-âge (résumé)

Se basant aux documents du XIVe et XVe siècles, l'auteur identifie l'origine des toponymes attestés dans la region de Zadar, dont les formes ont pour départ les noms de familles nobles de Zadar. Artiko (Artikova vas), Begna (Benjina draga), Cotopagna (Kotopanšćina), Gallo (Galovac, Galova polja, Galošćina), Lemessio (Lemeševo hrašće), Paladinis (Paladinšćina), Pećar (Pećarovci, Pećarošćina), Raduchis (Raduhova vas), Varikaša (Varikašića vas / Varikašane), et Zadulin (Zadulinšćina).


Emil Hilje: Notes on the Goldsmith's trade in Zadar in the 14th Century (summary)

A large body of data on the Zadar goldsmith's trade during the Middle Ages has been preserved in the Zadar records oflice. The author points out two kinds of documents, lists of goods of former citizens and data on pawned things, mentioning a lot of small goldsmith's products (plate, rings, earrings, belts, buttons, clasps ...). The above listed things give evidence on the level of material culture in Zadar in the 14th century and complement information about the state of advance of the Zadar goldsmith's trade. Furthermore, these documents comprise names of some Zadar goldsmiths who have been unknown until now.


Emil Hilje: Combinations of romanesque and gothic forms in the architecture of Zadar (summary)

Several buildings in Zadar and around show a combination of Romanesque and Gothic elements in architecture. In some cases this was because buildings were constructed when Romanesque traditions were still strong enough to dictate the overall appearance and method of construction, and yet there was an awareness of a new style, structurally more favourable or aesthetically more acceptable, which led to the incorporation of Gothic elements (Zadar Cathedral, Churches of St Peter in Diklo, St Nicholas in Crno, St Vitus and St Christopher on Pag). In other cases the combination resulted from the Gothic reconstruction of what had originally been Romanesque buildings (Churches of SS Cosmas and Damian on Pašman, St Ambrose in Nin, St Michael in Rogovo, St Michael in Zadar). There are also two special cases of Romanesque/Gothic combination. A Romanesque house was incorporated into the Gothic church of St Plato in Zadar, and the bell tower of St Mary's in Zadar was pulled down in the fifteenth century and rebuilt in its original Romanesque form.


Emil Hilje: Il programma iconografico della predella del "Polittico di Ugljan" (riassunto)

Il grande polittico proveniente dal convento di S. Girolamo a Ugljan, che si conserva nel tesoro del convento di S. Francesco a Zara, chiamato "Polittico di Ugljan", e l'opera più rappresentativa della pittura gotica dalmata. Numerosi esperti si sono occupati del problema della paternità del polittico, e dei suoi caratteri artistici, mentre in proporzione è stata dedicata poca attenzione alla sua analisi iconografica, che si è limitata all'identificazione delle figure dei santi. Ma, ancora meno attenzione è stata rivolta al programma iconografico della predella, che è sempre stata trattata come un elemento tradizionale su cui in maniera standard si dipingono le figure di Cristo e dei dodici apostoli, e per questo non vi sono stati tentativi di identificare con precisione le singole figure.
Proprio il programma iconografico della predella del "Polittico di Ugljan", invece, è di eccezionale interesse sia dal punto di vista del senso dell'intera scena sia dal punto di vista del rapporto con altre opere della pittura gotica zaratina, e di alcuni problemi culturologici più ampi ai quali rimanda. La singola identificazione delle figure degli apostoli grazie agli attributi, alle fisionomie caratteristiche, alla disposizione rispetto alla figura centrale di Cristo, e ai cartigli con frammenti del "Credo" che alcuni apostoli reggono, rivela che tra i dodici apostoli manca S. Paolo, e che al suo posto come dodicesimo appare S. Mattia. Ciò suggerisce che il pittore non era intenzionato a dipingere la rappresentazione schematica dei dodici apostoli, ma una scena precisamente definita. La presenza dell'apostolo Mattia, scelto dopo il tradimento di Guida, indica che si tratta di un momento ben definito, immediatamente dopo la crocifissione di Cristo, mentre i cartigli con frammenti del "Credo" testimoniano che le figure degli apostoli hanno funzione simbolica di prima comunità cristiana.
É per questo possibile accertare che il pittore ha posto di fronte all'osservatore una scena riconoscibile - la rappresentazione dei dodici apostoli che nella scena finale della "Passione di Cristo" in occasione delle festivita pasquali recitano il "Credo", testimoniarido la fondazione della Ecclesia - la comunità dei cristiani.
Ovviamente, la trasposizione del teatro medioevale nella severa forma del polittico richiede il passaggio dal campo della vicenda vissuta immediatamente sensibile a quello simbolico-associativo. Certamente l'autore del "Polittico di Ugljan", il pittore zaratino Giovanni di Pietro da Milano, in occasione della formazione della scena suddetta ebbe davanti agli occhi l'opera alla cui esecuzione aveva partecipato, ma che tratta la stessa scena in maniera molto piu immediata - le sculture dell' iconostasi della cattedrale zaratina, opera dell'intagliatore in legno veneziano, residente a Zara, Matteo Moronzon, ma dipinte da Giovanni. Le numerose coincidenze nelle fisionomie delle figure dell' iconostasi della cattedrale e di quelle sulla predella del "Polittico di Ugljan" indicano gli stretti rapporti tra queste due opere.
Ma, la fonte di tale rappresentazione iconografica dei dodici apostoli (senza S. Paolo ma con S. Mattia), nella pittura zaratina, sembra si deva ricercare nell'opera di un pittore zaratino di origini veneziane, Meneghello di Giovanni de Canali. Ne è la prova un suo polittico alla National Gallery di Londra, su cui le figure degli apostoli sono identificate da iscrizioni. Troviamo conferma di questa variante iconografica anche sul polittico del pittore sacerdote zaratino Petar Jordanić, che si trovava un tempo nella chiesa di S. Maria a Zara, e dove le figure degli apostoli sono ugualmente identificate dalle iscrizioni, ma accompagnate da cartigli con frammenti del "Credo". Inoltre, su tutt'e quattro le opere citate (le uniche nella pittura zaratina sulle quali si sono conservate le figure dei dodici apostoli) appare una specifica rappresentazione dell'apostolo Giovanni con la caratteristica fisionomia senile, ciò che ugualmente rimanda all'esistenza di forti legami all'interno della "cerchia pittorica zaratina".
Il "Polittico di Ugljan" si distingue, però, tra le opere citate non solo per le sue qualità artistico-tecniche, ma anche perché a differenza degli altri, non funziona solo a livello dell'illustrazione immediata, ma in maniera tipicamente gotica, tramite simboli e associazioni, arricchisce l'esperienza dell'osservatore. La lettura pluristratificata del messaggio artistico, che rende possibile di vivere a più livelli il contenuto rappresentato, e una qualità importante della personalità artistica di Giovanni di Pietro.
La lettura contenutistica del programma iconografico del "Polittico di Ugljan", correlata a scene di simile composizione su altre opere della pittura gotica, è allo stesso tempo un'interessante testimonianza dello sviluppo del teatro medioevale a Zara.


Emil Hilje: The Head of Archangel Gabriel from the Church of Saint John in Zadar - Proposal for Petar Radmilov Pozdančić (summary)

The stone head of the archangel Gabriel found while digging in front of the old church of Saint John in Zadar is a small and in addition damaged fragment of the former group of The Annunciation. However, its artistic quality makes it one of the most valuable Gothic sculptural works of stone on Dalmatian territory. Its resemblance to the figure of the Madonna of the Annunciation found in 1891 during works on the bell tower of Zadar cathedral (today on Permanent Exhibition of the Religios Art in Zadar) leaves no doubt that both were made by the same artist. However, in spite of matching dimensions, the fact that they are made of different stones lead to the conclusion that they did not originally belong to the same group. It is therefore possible to conceive that at least two groups of The Annunciation existed originally in Zadar, which for this very reason are not to be considered imports but works of an artist who lived and worked in Zadar at least for a period of time. Among sculptors known to have worked in Zadar at the beginning of the fifteenth century, the name coming to mind most readily is Petar Radmilov Pozdančić from Šibenik who in 1405 pledged to make numerous sculptures for the Chapel of Saint Simon. Mentioned among these is a composition of The Annunciation with sculptures of Gabriel and Mary each three feet high - thus exactly the size of the surviving pieces. A measure of similarity with Pozdančić's sculptures on Trogir cathedral supports the thesis that Petar Radmilov Pozdančić also carved the two Annunciations from Zadar and should thus be considered the first in a row of good Dalmatian sculptors of the fifteenth century.


Emil Hilje: "Ugljan Triptych" after the Restoration (summary)

The tripartite painting which represents Madonna with the Child in its central panel, and four scenes on each wing, has been found in 1954 in the yard of a village house in Ugljan near Zadar. However, it was not before the recent restoration that all of the artistic qualities have been revealed. Those are the punch work of aureolas on the golden surface, specific linear design in the modelling of draperies, outstanding values of colour, and even some iconographical elements. The most important was the possibility of a much better reading of the stylistic elements which, although iconographically conservative, and especially in the central panel tied to the Byzantine traditions, show that this triptych is artistically far more advanced than the kindred works of art. Together with the late Romanesque and Byzantine schemes, it introduces inspired and fresh Gothic innovations in the treatment of figures and compositional relations. Those characteristics give it a special place in the frame of Adriatic painting in the early 14th century.


Emil Hilje: L'attivita' dei maestri curzolani nella provincia di Zara (riassunto)

Nei documenti archivistici di Zara ci sono i dati sui numerosi maestri curzolani che lavoravano a Zara e nei suoi dintorni durante il '400 e il '500. Tra loro, il più insigne è Marko Andrijić che nel 1492 esportava le sue opere a Zara e poi, lo stesso anno, si trovo a Zara impegnandosi nel lavoro sulla chiesa di Santa Maria di Pago. In base a questi dati ed alle coincidenze stilistiche, la maggior parte dell'ornamentazione scultorea di questa chiesa (dove si uniscono elementi gotici e rinascimentali) - la cui spazialità è simile all'architettura romanica - va attribuita all'Andrijić. I capitelli nell'interno della chiesa, specialmente quelli con i delfini, ricordano le opere dell'Andrijić; nondimeno, gli altri particolari della navata centrale sono anch'essi probabilmente opera della sua bottega. L'incarico dell'esecuzione della facciata di questa chiesa lo assunse Juraj Dalmatinac, senza però esser riuscito a completarla; di ciò si occupò Marko Andrijić. Si ritiene che egli avesse scolpito le statue dell'Annunciazione, di San Giorgio e di San Michele, nonché il rosone. L'Andrijić lavorava anche al restauro del palazzo Nassis di Zara.
Oltre a Marko Andrijić, a Zara lavoravano altri architetti curzolani, per esempio Nikola Alegreti, Nikola Španić, il silografo Ivan Petrov Korčulanin. Si può concludere che i maestri curzolani, all'epoca rinascimentale, avevano un ruolo importante nello sviluppo dell'arte di Zara.


Emil Hilje: A Contribution to Goldsmith Francesco da Milano (summary)

The goldsmith Francesco di Antonio de Sextis from Milan, author of the famous Shrine of St. Simeon commissioned by the Hungaro-Croatian queen Elizabeth, is the most significant representative of medieval goldsmith's trade in Croatia. Although numerous works have been dedicated to the master and his art, some of the archival data regarding Francesco's life have remained unnoticed.
Recent research of the Zadar archives revealed some fifty yet unknown documents in which the master is mentioned. Unfortunately, none of them refer to one of his works, and only three have to do with new assistants, but their quantity indicates the master's constant presence in Zadar.
Based on artistic similarity to the Shrine of St. Simeon, the fact that Francesco moved to Nin before he died makes it possible to determine the master's authorship of the reliquaries of St. Asel and St. Marcela, kept in the treasury of the Parish Church in Nin.
Another work, which could be more cautiously ascribed to Francesco da Milano, is the procession cross in the church of St. Simeon in Zadar, displaying certain artistic similarities to both the Shrine of St. Simeon and the reliquaries from Nin.


Emil Hilje: Paintings in the Preserved Inventories of Zadar Citizens from the XIVth and XVth Centuries (summary)

Amongst the preserved archival material relating to painting in Zadar from the Gothic period a particular group is composed of lists of goods of deceased citizens which, among other properties, often makes reference to different paintings. It is to be regretted that only an insignificant part of the inventories which, according to the laws of the city statute, had to be drawn up, has been preserved. Nevertheless, on the basis of the representativeness of the preserved examples and the number of paintings which are listed it can be surmised that during the 14th and 15th centuries there were five to six thousand various paintings privately owned by the citizens of Zadar. The number itself clearly confirms the cultural level of Mediaeval Zadar and the development of painting within the city. Unfortunately, all of these works have in the meanwhile disappeared so that the written sources are the only witnesses of their existence.