Mato Celestin Medović
Encyclopedia
Mato Celestin Medović was a Croatian
painter. Best known for his large paintings depicting historical scenes, and his series of colourful landscapes and seascapes of his native Dalmatia
, Medović is one of the earliest modern Croatian painters.
In his youth Medović was schooled to become a priest in the Franciscan Seminary in Dubrovnik
, and was ordained in 1874, taking the name of Celestin. He received his first art training in Italy, and went on to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich
, where he began painting artistic impressions of historical events
. Following graduation he decided to leave the church and pursue his painting career. Medović then moved to Zagreb
and joined a group of artists led by Vlaho Bukovac
, a renowned painter. His work from this period includes historical depictions at the building of the Croatian Institute of History . Since 1901 Medović increasingly began to spend time on his native Pelješac
in southern Croatia, painting nature, still life
s, seascapes
and landscapes
in a style marked by his use of colour and light shadows.
monastery dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto (Delorita). In 1868, at the age of 11 he joined the Franciscan seminary in Dubrovnik
, where he took his vows in 1874, taking the name of Celestin. The artistic talent of the young monk was noticed by Abbot Portoguaro Bernardino, on a visit from Rome. So in 1880, Medović was placed in the monastery of St Isidoro in Rome
, known for its Nazarene painters
. He was assigned to Lodovico Seitz, an influential artist who painted the fresco
es in the Cathedral of Đakovo
. However, the rigid and outdated artistic style did not suit Medović, and he looked for a different teacher in Giuseppe Grandi
, then in the private school of Antonio Ciseri
in Florence
.
In 1886, the Franciscan order sent him back to Dubrovnik. However, at the urging of the painter Emil Jakob Schindler, he was sent to continue his studies at the Academy of Arts in Munich. There Medović studied historical genre paintings, particularly the work of Karl von Piloty
. He composed large canvases of historical scenes, winning a silver medal in 1893 for his final diploma work "Bacchanal" , and successfully exhibited his work in several European cities.
On his return to Dubrovnik in 1893, there seemed no possibility for further artistic progress. Dr Franjo Rački
(a founder member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts
) and Dr Iso Kršnjav (head of the Department of Culture ) invited him to Zagreb to join the group of artists around Vlaho Bukovac
, a Dubrovnik artist who had recently left Paris and settled in Zagreb. So in 1895 Medović left the Franciscan order and set up a studio in Zagreb. During his stay there (1895–1907) he painted many religious works in northern Croatian churches (Križevci
, Požega, Nova Gradiška
) and historical compositions based on Croatian history, most notably those in the Golden Hall of the Institute of History in Zagreb. Medović also painted a series of portraits of Zagreb people using fragmented lines, soft contours and vibrant colours.
In 1898, Medović had a house and studio built in Kuna, and a villa on the coast at Crkvice. He began to spend increasing amounts of time there, painting nature. In 1901, he held a group exhibit with Oton Iveković
, in which he presented his entire Zagreb works. Until 1907 Medović was kept busy with government works in Zagreb and exhibited with other Croatian artists in Budapest
, Copenhagen
, Paris
, Prague
, Belgrade
, Sofia
and Zagreb.
After 1908, Medović gave up his Zagreb studio entirely and remained on the Pelješac peninsula, living alone and painting. His subjects were taken from the nature around him, still lifes of fruit and fish, seascapes, and landscapes, filled with colour, light and soft shadows. His seascapes are studies of light playing on the open sea, breaking waves or a moonlit night.
After a few years Medović grew tired of the isolation from other artists, and for a short time worked in Vienna (1912–1914). In 1914 he held an exhibition, where he sold all his paintings. At the start of the First World War he again went back to Kuna where the harsh living conditions took their toll on his health. By the end of the war Medović was suffering from renal disease and in late December 1919 he sought help at a hospital in Sarajevo
, but too late. He died on 20 January 1920, and was laid to rest in the cemetery in Kuna.
, Faenza
, and Cesena
.
His years spent at the Academy of Art in Munich (1888–1893) were more formative. There he adopted the style and neutral colors typical of the late 19th century. Some very well-preserved portraits ("Mother" , "Old Fisherman" , "Portrait of an old man" ) are impressive studies of elderly people. A few paintings of saints, for example "St. Bonaventura", painted during this period, all reveal a high quality realistic interpretation.
During his time in Zagreb (1895–1907), Medović gradually absorbed some of Bukovac's techniques and brighter colours into his own artistic personality. His large historical compositions, "Srijemski Martyr" ", "Split Parliament" , "Arrival of the Croats" , "Betrothal of King Zvonimir" , and "The Coronation of King Ladislas" demonstrate Medović's eye for detail and his skillful interpretation of the subject. Portraits from this time include the expressive "St. Francis", and some drawings and paintings of the people of Zagreb.
Medović's work on the Pelješac peninsula marked a complete departure in technique and themes. He painted still lifes, seascapes, and landscapes, which were new genres in Croatian art at the time. His palette became lighter and brighter as he worked outdoors: browns, greys and dull greens became purer, and were joined the purple of heather, the yellow of broom, and the rich array of blues of the sea. Abandoning his previously detailed style, his smaller studies from nature are more creative. With thick impasto and impulsive brush strokes, around 1907 a new style emerged in his work – pointillism
in a light, bright colours, that he used for his landscapes of Pelješac. Initially (1908–1912), these were disciplined strokes on larger canvases, but in his later (1914–1918), smaller paintings with impressionistically captured motifs, the strokes became softer and more diffuse colours. He was one of the first Croatian artists to paint the coastal landscapes, and it dominated his work after the turn of the century.
Medović was a versatile artist, among the first generation of modern Croatian painters. He was the leader in historical and religious paintings (from intimate images of saints to altarpieces such as those on the island of Pašman
, the town of Baška
on the island of Krk
, and Vrboska
on the island of Hvar
). He painted some fine portraits, and Medović was the only Croatian artist in this period painting still lifes. However, his major contribution to Croatian painting is his series of landscapes, full of bright southern light and vigorous colours.
His hometown of Kuna now hosts an art colony, and art gallery in his name - KUD Mato Celestin Medović.
Medovic's painting of "Pelješko - korčulanski kanal", 1908-1912 appeared on a Croatian Post Office stamp in 1996.
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
painter. Best known for his large paintings depicting historical scenes, and his series of colourful landscapes and seascapes of his native Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, Medović is one of the earliest modern Croatian painters.
In his youth Medović was schooled to become a priest in the Franciscan Seminary in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
, and was ordained in 1874, taking the name of Celestin. He received his first art training in Italy, and went on to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich
Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich was founded 1808 by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria in Munich as the "Royal Academy of Fine Arts" and is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany...
, where he began painting artistic impressions of historical events
History painting
History painting is a genre in painting defined by subject matter rather than an artistic style, depicting a moment in a narrative story, rather than a static subject such as a portrait...
. Following graduation he decided to leave the church and pursue his painting career. Medović then moved to Zagreb
Zagreb
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...
and joined a group of artists led by Vlaho Bukovac
Vlaho Bukovac
Vlaho Bukovac was a Croatian painter.-Life:- Early life :Bukovac was born Biagio Faggioni in the town of Cavtat south of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia...
, a renowned painter. His work from this period includes historical depictions at the building of the Croatian Institute of History . Since 1901 Medović increasingly began to spend time on his native Pelješac
Pelješac
Pelješac is a peninsula in southern Dalmatia in Croatia. The peninsula is part of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and is the second largest peninsula in Croatia...
in southern Croatia, painting nature, still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
s, seascapes
Marine art
Marine art or maritime art is any form of figurative art that portrays or draws its main inspiration from the sea. Maritime painting is a genre that depicts ships and the sea—a genre particularly strong from the 17th to 19th centuries...
and landscapes
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
in a style marked by his use of colour and light shadows.
Biography
Mato Medović was born on 17 November 1857 in Kuna on the Pelješac peninsula into a peasant family. Young Mato got his first education at a nearby FranciscanFranciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
monastery dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto (Delorita). In 1868, at the age of 11 he joined the Franciscan seminary in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
, where he took his vows in 1874, taking the name of Celestin. The artistic talent of the young monk was noticed by Abbot Portoguaro Bernardino, on a visit from Rome. So in 1880, Medović was placed in the monastery of St Isidoro in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, known for its Nazarene painters
Nazarene movement
The name Nazarene was adopted by a group of early 19th century German Romantic painters who aimed to revive honesty and spirituality in Christian art...
. He was assigned to Lodovico Seitz, an influential artist who painted the fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es in the Cathedral of Đakovo
Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in Đakovo
The Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul , the co-cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Đakovo, Croatia. It is sometimes referred only as the Cathedral of St. Peter....
. However, the rigid and outdated artistic style did not suit Medović, and he looked for a different teacher in Giuseppe Grandi
Giuseppe Grandi
Giuseppe Grandi was an Italian sculptor, painter and engraver.-Life:Taught by Vela at the Accademia di Brera, in 1866 he won the Canonica competition with a sculpture called Ulisse and began to work on a verist sculpture of Tabacchi at Turin. After his Turin period, he returned to Milan, where he...
, then in the private school of Antonio Ciseri
Antonio Ciseri
Antonio Ciseri was an Italian painter of religious subjects....
in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.
In 1886, the Franciscan order sent him back to Dubrovnik. However, at the urging of the painter Emil Jakob Schindler, he was sent to continue his studies at the Academy of Arts in Munich. There Medović studied historical genre paintings, particularly the work of Karl von Piloty
Karl von Piloty
Karl Theodor von Piloty was a German painter.Von Piloty was born in Munich. His father, Ferdinand Piloty , enjoyed a great reputation as a lithographer. In 1840, Karl was admitted as a student of the Munich Academy, under the artists Karl Schorn and Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld...
. He composed large canvases of historical scenes, winning a silver medal in 1893 for his final diploma work "Bacchanal" , and successfully exhibited his work in several European cities.
On his return to Dubrovnik in 1893, there seemed no possibility for further artistic progress. Dr Franjo Rački
Franjo Racki
Franjo Rački was a Croatian historian, politician and writer. He compiled important collections of old Croatian diplomatic and historical documents, wrote some pioneering historical works, and was a key founder of the Yugoslavian Academy of Sciences and Arts.-Historian:Rački was born in Fužine,...
(a founder member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the national academy of Croatia. It was founded in 1866 as the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts , and was known by that name for most of its existence.- History :...
) and Dr Iso Kršnjav (head of the Department of Culture ) invited him to Zagreb to join the group of artists around Vlaho Bukovac
Vlaho Bukovac
Vlaho Bukovac was a Croatian painter.-Life:- Early life :Bukovac was born Biagio Faggioni in the town of Cavtat south of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia...
, a Dubrovnik artist who had recently left Paris and settled in Zagreb. So in 1895 Medović left the Franciscan order and set up a studio in Zagreb. During his stay there (1895–1907) he painted many religious works in northern Croatian churches (Križevci
Križevci
Križevci is a town in central Croatia with a total population of 21,155 and with 11,219 in the city itself , the oldest town in its county, the Koprivnica-Križevci county.-History:...
, Požega, Nova Gradiška
Nova Gradiška
Nova Gradiška is a city located in the Brod-Posavina County of Croatia, population 14,196 . It is located in the historic region of Slavonia, near the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina....
) and historical compositions based on Croatian history, most notably those in the Golden Hall of the Institute of History in Zagreb. Medović also painted a series of portraits of Zagreb people using fragmented lines, soft contours and vibrant colours.
In 1898, Medović had a house and studio built in Kuna, and a villa on the coast at Crkvice. He began to spend increasing amounts of time there, painting nature. In 1901, he held a group exhibit with Oton Iveković
Oton Ivekovic
Oton Iveković was one of the foremost Croatian painters. He graduated from the Vienna Academy of Painting. He later taught at the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts. Iveković largely concerned himself with historical topics as well as some religious themes...
, in which he presented his entire Zagreb works. Until 1907 Medović was kept busy with government works in Zagreb and exhibited with other Croatian artists in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
and Zagreb.
After 1908, Medović gave up his Zagreb studio entirely and remained on the Pelješac peninsula, living alone and painting. His subjects were taken from the nature around him, still lifes of fruit and fish, seascapes, and landscapes, filled with colour, light and soft shadows. His seascapes are studies of light playing on the open sea, breaking waves or a moonlit night.
After a few years Medović grew tired of the isolation from other artists, and for a short time worked in Vienna (1912–1914). In 1914 he held an exhibition, where he sold all his paintings. At the start of the First World War he again went back to Kuna where the harsh living conditions took their toll on his health. By the end of the war Medović was suffering from renal disease and in late December 1919 he sought help at a hospital in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, but too late. He died on 20 January 1920, and was laid to rest in the cemetery in Kuna.
Legacy
Medović's time in Italy did not leave a lasting impression his work. His paintings from the time can be found in a few Franciscan monasteries, for example FucecchioFucecchio
Fucecchio is a town and comune of the province of Firenze in the Italian region of Tuscany. The main economical resources of the city are the leather industries, shoes industry and other manufacturing activities, although in the recent years their number has been decreasing because of a slight...
, Faenza
Faenza
Faenza is an Italian city and comune, in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna.Faenza is noted for its manufacture of majolica ware glazed earthenware pottery, known from the name of the town as "faience"....
, and Cesena
Cesena
Cesena is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, south of Ravenna and west of Rimini, on the Savio River, co-chief of the Province of Forlì-Cesena. It is at the foot of the Apennines, and about 15 km from the Adriatic Sea.-History:Cesena was originally an Umbrian...
.
His years spent at the Academy of Art in Munich (1888–1893) were more formative. There he adopted the style and neutral colors typical of the late 19th century. Some very well-preserved portraits ("Mother" , "Old Fisherman" , "Portrait of an old man" ) are impressive studies of elderly people. A few paintings of saints, for example "St. Bonaventura", painted during this period, all reveal a high quality realistic interpretation.
During his time in Zagreb (1895–1907), Medović gradually absorbed some of Bukovac's techniques and brighter colours into his own artistic personality. His large historical compositions, "Srijemski Martyr" ", "Split Parliament" , "Arrival of the Croats" , "Betrothal of King Zvonimir" , and "The Coronation of King Ladislas" demonstrate Medović's eye for detail and his skillful interpretation of the subject. Portraits from this time include the expressive "St. Francis", and some drawings and paintings of the people of Zagreb.
Medović's work on the Pelješac peninsula marked a complete departure in technique and themes. He painted still lifes, seascapes, and landscapes, which were new genres in Croatian art at the time. His palette became lighter and brighter as he worked outdoors: browns, greys and dull greens became purer, and were joined the purple of heather, the yellow of broom, and the rich array of blues of the sea. Abandoning his previously detailed style, his smaller studies from nature are more creative. With thick impasto and impulsive brush strokes, around 1907 a new style emerged in his work – pointillism
Pointillism
Pointillism is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of pure color are applied in patterns to form an image. Georges Seurat developed the technique in 1886, branching from Impressionism. The term Pointillism was first coined by art critics in the late 1880s to ridicule the works...
in a light, bright colours, that he used for his landscapes of Pelješac. Initially (1908–1912), these were disciplined strokes on larger canvases, but in his later (1914–1918), smaller paintings with impressionistically captured motifs, the strokes became softer and more diffuse colours. He was one of the first Croatian artists to paint the coastal landscapes, and it dominated his work after the turn of the century.
Medović was a versatile artist, among the first generation of modern Croatian painters. He was the leader in historical and religious paintings (from intimate images of saints to altarpieces such as those on the island of Pašman
Pašman
Pašman is an island off the coast of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, located to the south of Zadar, surrounded by the islands Ugljan, Iž, Dugi otok and Kornati...
, the town of Baška
Baška
At only a few hours distance from the centres of European major cities, lies Baška , a hidden gem of the Croatian Adriatic. This cultural and historical centre famous for its inscribed stone monument from 1100 and a hundred year tradition in tourism, has developed into a popular resort for a great...
on the island of Krk
Krk
Krk is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, located near Rijeka in the Bay of Kvarner and part of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar county....
, and Vrboska
Vrboska
Vrboska is a settlement on the north coast of the island of Hvar in Dalmatia, Croatia, in the Municipality of Jelsa. Founded in the 15th century as a fishing harbour, Vrboska is best known for the fortress Church of Sv. Marija , built as a refuge for its inhabitants during the 16th century...
on the island of Hvar
Hvar
- Climate :The climate of Hvar is characterized by mild winters and warm summers. The yearly average air temperature is , 686 mm of precipitation fall on the town of Hvar on average every year and the town has a total of 2800 sunshine hours per year. For comparison Hvar has an average of 7.7...
). He painted some fine portraits, and Medović was the only Croatian artist in this period painting still lifes. However, his major contribution to Croatian painting is his series of landscapes, full of bright southern light and vigorous colours.
His hometown of Kuna now hosts an art colony, and art gallery in his name - KUD Mato Celestin Medović.
Medovic's painting of "Pelješko - korčulanski kanal", 1908-1912 appeared on a Croatian Post Office stamp in 1996.
Works
Munich paintings
- Mother (Portret Majka) 1894
- Old Fisherman (Stari ribar)
- Portrait of an old man (Portret starca)
- St. Bonaventura
- Bacchanal (Bakanal) 1890
Zagreb paintings
- Split Parliament (Splitski sabor)
- Arrival of the Croats (Dolazak Hrvata),
- The Coronation of Ladislas of Naples (Krunjenje Ladislava Napuljskog)
- Betrothal of King Zvonimir (Zaruke kralja Zvonimira)
- The Srijem Martyrs (Srijemski mučenici)
- St Jeronim 1901
- Madonna (Bogorodica) 1905
- St Francis
- Portrait of Clotilde Guthardt
- Portrait of middle-aged woman
- Portrait of Archbishop Posilovic
- Portrait of Pope Pius X
Pelješac paintings
- Dead Calm Sea (Bonaca)
- After Spring Rains (Poslije proljetne kiše)
- Pelješac Korčula Canal(Pelješko Korčulanski Kanal) 1908-12
- Moonlight (Mjesečina)
- Heather (Vrijes) 1911
- Landscape (Pejzaž)
- Fields (Polje)
- Heather (Vrijes)
- Still Life (Mrtva Priroda)
- Battle of Grobnik Plain (Bitka Na Grobničkom Polju)
Solo
- 2001 Mato Celestin Medović: Works from the Gallery's permanent collection Gallery of Fine Arts, SplitGallery of Fine Arts, SplitThe Gallery of Fine Arts , is an art museum in Split, Croatia containing works from 14th century up to the present day providing an overview of the artistic developments in the local art scene...
(Galerija Umjetnina Split) - 2007/2008 MATO CELESTIN MEDOVIĆ: An exhibition marking the 150th anniversary of his birth. From the holdings of the Museum of Modern Art, Dubrovnik
Group
- 2009 Zagreb - Munich: Croatian Painting and the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, Art Pavilion Zagreb, Zagreb
- 2007 From the Gallery Collection, Museum of Modern Art, Dubrovnik
- 2006 Selection from the Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik Collection, Museum of Modern Art, Dubrovnik
- 1896 Millennial Exhibition in Budapest
Museum collections
- Modern Gallery, ZagrebModern Gallery, ZagrebModern Gallery is a museum in Zagreb, Croatia that holds the most important and comprehensive collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings by 19th and 20th century Croatian artists. The collection numbers around 10,000 works of art, housed since 1934 in the historic Vranyczany Palace in the...
- Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik
- Gallery of Fine Arts, Split (Galerija Umjetnina Split)