Marton Museum
Encyclopedia
The Marton Museum is Croatia
's first private museum
and specializes in 18th and 19th century Europe
an applied art. The Marton Museum derives its name from its original founder, Mr Veljko Marton, whose collection is featured within its walls.
's Muzej za Umjetnost i Obrt (Museum of Arts and Crafts) in the fall of 2002. In the end over 700 works were presented to the public as part of the show. The exhibition was deemed a success and subsequently led to the idea of opening up a permanent museum to house the collection. The resulting Marton Museum subsequently opened its doors in Samobor
, a town located on the outskirts of Zagreb. The official opening was held on May 18, 2003, a date which coincided with that year's International Museum Day
.
The museum has held numerous exhibitions throughout Croatia and has also exhibited internationally. In June of 2008 the Marton Museum held its first exhibition on British soil at the Croatian Embassy in downtown London. In February of 2009 the Marton Museum went on to exhibit selected pieces at the Musée national de Céramique-Sèvres on the outskirts of Paris. In the summer of 2010 the Marton Museum organized it's first exhibit in Austria at Vienna's Liechtenstein Museum
. That same winter the museum organized it's first Italian exhibit in Venice at the Pinacoteca Querini Stampalia
.
In early 2011 the Marton Museum announced that it was expanding to the city of Zagreb, with its new home being the historic Kulmer Palace in the city's Gornji Grad – Medveščak quarter (Old Town). The grand opening was held on March 18th, 2011. While the move greatly expands the museum's existing exhibition space, there are plans to feature a cafe and gift shop. Many local Croatian politicians have already visited the institution, along with a number of foreign dignitaries from countries including Hungary, Iceland, Moldova and Serbia, among others.
Many of the porcelain pieces enjoy a royal provenance and are directly related to the European regency who could afford these luxuries at the time. For example, among the many pieces of historic Russian porcelain contained within the collection, there exist plates that were commissioned by Catherine the Great for both the St. Alexander Nevsky and St. Vladimir Order service, another plate that was made for the wedding of Duke Constantin Nikolayevich (son of Tsar Nicholas I), as well a glass cooler that was made for the Grand Duchess of Catherine Pavlova as part of her dowry for her marriage to Prince Peter Friedrich Georg Oldenburg, among others.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
's first private museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
and specializes in 18th and 19th century Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an applied art. The Marton Museum derives its name from its original founder, Mr Veljko Marton, whose collection is featured within its walls.
History
Veljko Marton held the first ever exhibit of his personal art collection at ZagrebZagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
's Muzej za Umjetnost i Obrt (Museum of Arts and Crafts) in the fall of 2002. In the end over 700 works were presented to the public as part of the show. The exhibition was deemed a success and subsequently led to the idea of opening up a permanent museum to house the collection. The resulting Marton Museum subsequently opened its doors in Samobor
Samobor
Samobor is a town in the Zagreb County, Croatia. It is part of the Zagreb metropolitan area.-Geography:Samobor is located west of Zagreb, between the eastern slopes of the Samoborsko gorje , in the Sava River valley.-Population:...
, a town located on the outskirts of Zagreb. The official opening was held on May 18, 2003, a date which coincided with that year's International Museum Day
International Museum Day
The International Museum Day is a celebration that is held each year on or about 18 May. Each year, the Advisory Committee of the International Council of Museums defines a specific theme for International Museum Day.-Themes:...
.
The museum has held numerous exhibitions throughout Croatia and has also exhibited internationally. In June of 2008 the Marton Museum held its first exhibition on British soil at the Croatian Embassy in downtown London. In February of 2009 the Marton Museum went on to exhibit selected pieces at the Musée national de Céramique-Sèvres on the outskirts of Paris. In the summer of 2010 the Marton Museum organized it's first exhibit in Austria at Vienna's Liechtenstein Museum
Liechtenstein Museum
The Liechtenstein Museum is in Vienna, Austria, named after the princely House of Liechtenstein, one of Europe's oldest noble families. The museum includes the Princely Collections containing important European works of art, forming one of the world's leading private art collections.The museum has...
. That same winter the museum organized it's first Italian exhibit in Venice at the Pinacoteca Querini Stampalia
Pinacoteca querini stampalia
The Pinacoteca Querini Stampalia is an art collection and museum in Venice, Italy. Situated in the sestieri of Castello, on the left bank of the Grand Canal, it includes famous paintings as a self- portrait and Adam and Eve by Palma the Younger, a Sacra Conversazione by Palma the Elder and a...
.
In early 2011 the Marton Museum announced that it was expanding to the city of Zagreb, with its new home being the historic Kulmer Palace in the city's Gornji Grad – Medveščak quarter (Old Town). The grand opening was held on March 18th, 2011. While the move greatly expands the museum's existing exhibition space, there are plans to feature a cafe and gift shop. Many local Croatian politicians have already visited the institution, along with a number of foreign dignitaries from countries including Hungary, Iceland, Moldova and Serbia, among others.
The Collection
The museum's collection counts a number of silver and glass pieces, along with various paintings and furniture pieces, yet it perhaps bears mention that the museum is particularly known for its European porcelain. The Marton Collection features pieces from many well known and historic manufacturers including Meissen and Sèvres, among others. Vienna porcelain is particularly well represented, with numerous pieces ranging from the early Du Paquier period to the later Sorgenthal period. The depth of the collection in this area is such that one can easily trace the evolution of tastes and decorative styles of the aristocracy who bought these pieces over the decades, from early Chinese influenced floral patterns to later painted depictions of European landscapes and gilded neoclassical motifs.Many of the porcelain pieces enjoy a royal provenance and are directly related to the European regency who could afford these luxuries at the time. For example, among the many pieces of historic Russian porcelain contained within the collection, there exist plates that were commissioned by Catherine the Great for both the St. Alexander Nevsky and St. Vladimir Order service, another plate that was made for the wedding of Duke Constantin Nikolayevich (son of Tsar Nicholas I), as well a glass cooler that was made for the Grand Duchess of Catherine Pavlova as part of her dowry for her marriage to Prince Peter Friedrich Georg Oldenburg, among others.
External links
- Marton Museum website
- Listing on the Croatian national Museum Documentation Center (MDC)
- Description of the Marton Museum's exhibition at the Musée national de Céramique-Sèvres in Paris, Zagreb Tourist Board newsletter
- VisitMuseums.com article on the Marton Museum and its exhibition at Vienna's Liechtenstein Museum
- Croatian Embassy in London newsletter on the presentation of a Marton Museum catalogue
- Travel blog article on the Marton Museum
- Culturenet.hr article on Marton Museum exhibition at Zagreb's Gliptoteka gallery (in Croatian)
- Ezadar.hr article on Marton Museum exhibit in the Šibenik City Museum, Croatia (in Croatian)