19th Century Serbia as Seen through the Eyes of Its Contemporary Artists
Faculty Advisor:
Ed Gold Committee members:
Sarah Joy Verville Roger Friskey Ljubica D. Popovich
Vladimir Rajevac MFA ID Thesis February 9, 2010
Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Potential Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Web Site Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Home Page Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Video About Contemporary Serbia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Art Gallery . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Epic Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 War and Politics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Prominent Serbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Meet the Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Brief History of Serbia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Video Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Distribution and Exhibition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Appendix A: Web Site Screen Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Appendix B: Questions for Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Appendix C: Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
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Introduction In 2004, I had the opportunity to visit the National Museum in Belgrade, which houses many art treasures, Serbian art works among them. I was amazed to discover the richness of Serbian artistic tradition, particularly in paintings. Unfortunately, most of these works are neither available for viewing nor open to visitors. This made me realize—while searching for an idea for my thesis—that if I designed an interactive Web site of Serbian art, then these art treasures would finally be available to the public. Recent Web searches on Serbian paintings yielded only scattered pieces of art on various sites, blogs and forums. Further research in reference works at the Library of Congress turned up far more examples and analytical studies of Serbian art, but these books, authored primarily by Serbian art historians, were written in Serbian, thus limiting the reading audience. After speaking with Professor Ljubica D. Popovich, I learned of the North American Society for Serbian Studies (NASSS). Founded in 1978, this organization attracts people dedicated to Serbian multidisciplinary studies (art, history, literature), the Serbian Diaspora, and everything related to that country. After attending a NASSS Web presentation, I realized that it could have been done better. This gave me the idea of what I could do for my MFA thesis. My intention is to use 19th Century art, paintings, and photographs in a Web-based application that tells—at least in part—the story of 19th Century Serbia. Instead of reading hundreds of pages and going through numerous different history books, my audience can learn about Serbia by looking at images and reading short descriptions about how these images relate to historical events. Of course, this web site won’t make viewers experts in these specific areas of Serbian studies, but it certainly will give them a basic sense of what Serbia was, and how its past affects its present. The reason why I chose to tell the story about 19th Century Serbia is because that time period includes the beginnings of the modern Serbian state; during the 19th century Serbs were fighting for their freedom and independence. This time frame also marks the beginning of new state institutions, democracy, and Serbian art. Except for stagnating religious art, none of these existed between the time of the fall of the independent Serbian state (1459) and the Serbian revolution (1804 – 1817). This intervening period is characterized mainly by Turkish customs due to the colonial rule of the Ottoman Empire.
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Potential Audience My audience is composed of Americans who may already be somewhat aware of Serbia but who may want to learn more about its geography, history, culture, lifestyle, and politics.
Treatment 19th Century Serbia as Seen through the Eyes of Its Contemporary Artists is a Web-based application combining writing, still images, video, and motion graphics. The application is image-dominant in the form of motion graphics and video and includes an introductory narrative at the beginning of each section.
Web Site Design The web site's design is user-friendly, allowing users to navigate easily through the site's contents. The main navigation links are displayed on every page.
Web site structure.
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Home Page Design Before looking at Serbian life and culture in the 19th century, my audience will have an opportunity to learn about contemporary Serbia. This is accomplished by means of a video which begins after the home page is loaded.
Home Page design.
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VIDEO ABOUT CONTEMPORARY SERBIA While still recovering from the political and economic crisis caused by the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, Serbia became a rejuvenated and energized cultural center in the heart of the Balkans. The video on contemporary Serbia depicts Serbia as a newly established and very attractive tourist destination and a country with many talented people, such as tennis player Novak Djoković and swimmer Milorad Čavič. In order to support the idea of Serbia being an appealing tourist center, the narrative includes interviews of Americans who have visited Serbia in the last several years and who share their experiences as well as their views of the country. The video also shows Serbian landscapes, special cultural events, and places of interest, such as the traditional Serbian village of Sirogojno, the annual Küstendorf Film festival held in Drvengrad, a village built by film director Emir Kusturica, and music festivals Exit and Guča, which rank among the best of European music festivals. Through a combination of interviews and images, the video establishes a connection between 19th century and modern-day Serbia, while showing how Serbia’s past is reflected in its present. One example of how this connection of the past with the present is achieved can be seen in an interview with Miloš Cvetković, a photographer who witnessed and photographed events during the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. I utilize Mr. Cvetković’s images of Serbian refugees from Bosnia during 1992 (below), and juxtapose those images with two 19th century paintings, Refugees from Herzegovina and Migrations of Serbs (page 7).
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Miloš Cvetković (1957-), Refugees from Bosnia, 1992, photography, private collection.
Uroš Predić (1857-1953), Refugees from Herzegovina, 1889, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
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Paja Jovanović (1859-1957), Migrations of Serbs, 1896, oil on canvas, Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Belgrade.
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Art Gallery The Art Gallery is divided into four sections: •
Epic Poetry
•
Wars and Politics
•
Prominent Serbs
•
People
Art Gallery page. Epic Poetry is a different color, representing the mouse-over technique.
Every section of the Art Gallery, except for the section entitled People will include the begins with a short introductory video of the subject, explaining how 19th century Serbia is reflected in present life and the influence of 19th century images on Serbian culture today. My understanding of the art works presented is supported by interviews with contemporary historians. However, a Web visitor can skip through the individual videos and proceed directly to browsing the image gallery. The section people will have the map of the Balkans from the beginning of 19th century to Serbia today, and the map will highlight some of the towns where Serbs live. Most of the images in the Art Gallery are accompanied by a brief analysis or explanation of the work’s impact on Serbian culture. Images that are included in individual videos will 9|Page
not have this analytic or explanatory caption. However, every image will have a notation containing the name of the artist, the name of the artwork, the medium utilized, and the current location of the original image.
Epic Poetry Gallery page. This is the look of the page when the image in the gallery (in color) is hovered by mouse cursor.
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Epic Poetry Gallery page. This is the look of the image galley page when one selects and enlarges an image.
EPIC POETRY Epic poetry played a major role in the development and preservation of the Serbian national consciousness. Epic poetry models a kind of symbolism for personal courage and preaches a code of justice, duty, sacrifice, and patriotism. Revolutionary in its spirit, Serbian epic poetry also advocates armed rebellion against all oppressors. For generations, this poetry shaped the Serbian way of thinking. Even today, some historical facts are overshadowed by epic poetry, because most Serbs believe that history itself is actually depicted in epic poetry. For example, a very common misperception of Serbian history centers on the Battle of Kosovo in 1389. Many Serbs see this battle as the end of the 11 | P a g e
Serbian medieval state while, in fact, the Serbian medieval state lasted for another 70 years, until the fall of the fortress of Smederevo in 1459. Serbian epic poetry describes actual events and persons from Serbian history. For the most part, the topic of these poems centers on one of two themes: the destruction of the Serbian Empire at Kosovo (Battle of Kosovo, 1389), and the avenging of Kosovo. Yet the poems exude a mixture of both historical facts and myths. For example, the most popular hero, Marko Kraljević (Mrnjačević), who ruled in the region of Macedonia from 1371 to 1394, is depicted as a supernatural strong warrior who fought against the Turks. However, historical facts reveal just the opposite -Marko Kraljević was actually a Turkish vassal who died in the Battle of Rovine in 1394 while fighting on the Turkish side. Nevertheless, through epic poetry, Marko Kraljević became a symbol for justice and the struggle for freedom. Another very distinctive character who is described in Serbian epic poetry is Miloš Obilić, the knight who killed Turkish sultan Murad I at the battle of Kosovo. Since that battle—and even to this day— Obilić remains a symbol of patriotism, personal courage, and sacrifice.
Adam Stefanović (1857-1953), The Battle of Kosovo, 1870, color engraving, National Museum, Belgrade.
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Aleksandar Dobrić (1837-1963), Miloš Obilić at Battle of Kosovo, 1889, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
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Uri Predić (1857-1953), The Maiden of Kosovo, 1911, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: After the Battle of Kosovo, the Maiden of Kosovo healed the wounds of every hero she found alive. She is a symbol of feminine heroism and the glory that is promised to all women who follow her example.
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Đura Jakšić (1832-1878), Marko Kraljević, 1857, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
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Vladislav Titelbah (1847-1925), Mussa the Robber and Marko Kraljević, 1889, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
WARS AND POLITICS At the beginning of the 19th century the Serbian independent state was nonexistent because from 1459 Serbia was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. As a consequence, the Serbs fought for centuries for their freedom and liberation from the Turks. The introductory video describes the main liberation wars that Serbs fought: the First Serbian Uprising (1804-1813), the Second Serbian Uprising (1815-1817), and the Serbo-Turkish War (1876-1878). It took the Serbs 74 years to gain their complete independence. The First Serbian Uprising failed, but the Second Serbian Uprising was successful and led to Serbia becoming an autonomous region within the Ottoman Empire. After the SerboTurkish War in 1878, Serbia gained its full sovereignty. Between the Second Serbian Uprising and the Serbo-Turkish War, Serbs and Turks clashed on several occasions. For example, in 1862 the Turks bombarded a suburb in Belgrade populated mainly by Serbs. In the end, thanks to the diplomatic skills of Prince 16 | P a g e
Mihailo Obrenović, the Turkish army finally left the Serbian Principality. For Serbs today, this is the most important part of modern history for it proves that Serbs are capable and always ready to struggle for their freedom. This clash, however, also serves as a reminder of Serbia's heavy casualties and the high price the combatants paid for their freedom. On the other hand, Serbian political life is marked by a struggle for personal power and self-interests. Holding a monopoly in the swine trade, Prince Miloš Obrenović was the richest man in Serbia. At that time swine were the main export product of Serbia. Obrenović was cunning, ruthless, arrogant and not willing to share his power. In 1838, he was overthrown by a group of politicians called Constitutionalists. However, this did not have a significant impact on the country, since the power of one man was just replaced with an oligarchic rule. Political assassinations were very common, and they continue through the present time. In 2003, Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić was assassinated on the doorstep of a Serbian government building. This event evoked memories of past political turmoil. In 1817 Karađorđe Petrović , the leader of the First Serbian Uprising, was assassinated. The order for his assassination came from Miloš Obrenović. In 1859, after coming into the leadership position of Serbia for the second time, Miloš ordered that Toma Vučić Perišić, one of the Constitutionalists, be poisoned. In 1868, Prince Mihailo Obrenovi ć was assassinated. It is believed that the members of the House of Karađorđević, the rivals of the House Obrenović, were behind this act. However, no evidence has ever been found to substantiate this accusation. In 1903, King Aleksandar Obrenović was assassinated by Black Hand, a secret organization established by a group of Serbian Army officers who were opposed to King Aleksandar’s regime.
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Pavle Simić (1818-1976), Birčanin Ilija Paying Tax to Turks, 1849, oil on canvas, Gallery of Matica Srpska, Novi Sad.
Caption: The imposition of draconian taxes was the one of the main reasons why Serbs started fighting for their freedom.
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Pavle Simić (1818-1976), Hadži Ruvim and Hadži Đera, 1849, oil on canvas, Gallery of Matica Srpska, Novi Sad.
Caption: While preparing for the First Serbian Uprising, the Serbs asked for help and support from the Austrian Empire. The painting depicts the moment when priests Hadži-Ruvim and Hadži-Đera wrote a letter in the name of Knez Aleksa Nenadović to the Austrian military commander Mitezer. Knez Aleksa Nenadović is on the right, wearing a brown cape and looking at Hadži-Ruvim.
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Uroš Knežević (1811-1876), Karađorđe Petrović, 1840, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: In February, 1804, Karađorđe Petrović was elected the supreme commander of the Serbian Army. He is one of the most famous and recognizable figures in Serbian history.
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Đorđe Krstić (1851-1907), Skull Tower, 1882, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: The Turks erected the Skull Tower in 1809, after the battle of Čegar Hill near Niš. As its name implies, the tower was made up of the heads of Serbian rebels. Today it is a monument to the high price Serbs paid for their freedom.
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Anastas Jovanović (1817-1899), Hajduk Veljko Petrović, 1852, lithography, Belgrade Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: With the rank of Vojvoda (Duke), Hajduk Veljko Petrović (1780-1813) was one of the highest-ranking military commanders of the First Serbian Uprising. For Serbs he is a symbol of patriotism, courage, and personal sacrifice.
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Stevan Todorović (1832-1925), Hajduk Veljko by the Cannon, 1860, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: Hajduk Veljko Petrović died in 1813 defending the town of Negotin. The battle of Negotin was one of the last battles fought in the First Serbian Uprising. Just three months after the battle, the Turks broke the rebellion and took control over Serbian land.
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Paja Jovanović (1859-1957), Second Serbian Uprising, 1896, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: “Here I am and there you are; war to the Turks!” is the quote that every Serb is familiar with. Declared by Miloš Obrenović, shown in the middle of the image with the raised flag in his hand, these words signified the beginning of the Second Serbian Uprising (1815-1917).
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Rihard Puhta, Tanasko Rajić by the Cannon, 1862, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: Artillery commander Tanasko Rajić is an example of individual courage and personal sacrifice. Even though he lost his life at the Battle of Ljubić in 1815, the Serbs won the battle. Soon afterwards the Turks granted Principality status to Serbia.
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Anastas Jovanović (1817-1899), Serbian Officers, 1865, photography, Military Museum, Belgrade.
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Uroť Predić (1857-1953), Refugees from Herzegovina, 1889, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: In the summer of 1875, the Turks started to persecute the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to force them to pay taxes. Unwilling and unable to do so, more than 100,000 Serbs sought refuge in Serbia and Montenegro. In order to protect their people, Serbia declared war on Turkey.
Unknown author, Officers of the First Infantry Battalion (Serbo-Turkish war 1876-1878), 1876, photography, Military museum, Belgrade.
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Đura Jakšić (1832-1878), After the Battle, 1876, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: This painting of Serbian soldiers resting after a battle was inspired by an event from the Serbo-Turkish War (1876-1878) when five Serbian soldiers at Vučija Poljana at the border of Turkey, stopped the advance of 200 Turkish soldiers.
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Đura Jakšić (1832-1878), Assassination of Karađorđe, 1862, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: Serbs had their own Hatfield-McCoy family rivalry. Throughout the 19th Century, the Karađorđević and Obrenović families fought over which family would rule Serbia.
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Đura Jakšić (1832-1878), Torches at the Stambol Gate, 1859, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: The people are celebrating Prince Miloš Obrenović's return to the leadership position of Serbia in 1858. Carrying the image of Obrenović, they are passing through the Istanbul Gate, which is an entrance into the Belgrade fortress and a symbol of Turkish cruelty and oppression.
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Anastas Jovanović (1817-1899), Toma Vučić-Perišić, 1850, photography, Belgrade Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: Toma Vučić Perišić was one of the Constitutionalists. He was as cruel, ambitious, and cunning as Prince Miloš Obrenović. In 1859, he was poisoned by order of Prince Miloš Obrenović.
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Đura Jakšić (1832-1878), Prince Mihailo on Deathbed, 1869, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
PROMINENT SERBS This section is dedicated to those Serbs whose work set a foundation for Serbian education, science, literature and art. After 400 years of Turkish colonial rule, Serbian education and culture, its politics, and the economy were all stagnant. There were no formal schools, and the majority of the population was illiterate, just as were the leaders of the First and the Second Serbian Uprising, Karađorđe Petrović and Miloš Obrenović. In 1839 the Serbian Government sent their first group of Serbian students to study abroad in Austria, Germany, and France. By 1858, some 200 men had been educated abroad. In their modest number, these men were the beginning of a native intelligentsia, bringing new ideas and elements of European culture to Serbia.
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Anastas Jovanović (1817-1899), Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, 1850-1856, photography, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: Vuk Stefanović Karadžić (1878-1864), one of the leading 19th Century European philologists, reformed the Serbian language and standardized the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet by following strict phonetic principles based on the German model. Karadžić collected and published a treasury of Serbian epic poetry. Today Serbs use two alphabets that are used equally (Cyrillic and Latin). Cyrillic: А Б В Г Д Ђ Е Ж З И Ј К Л Љ М Н Њ О П Р С Т Ћ У Ф Х Ц Ч Џ Ш Latin: A B V G D Đ E Ž Z H C Č DŽ Š
I J K L LJ M N NJ O P R S T Ć U F
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Paja Jovanović (1859-1957), Mihailo Pupin, 1902, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: Mihailo Pupin (1858-1935) was one of the most influential physicists and physical chemists of his time. He was a professor at Columbia University in New York City. Inspired by a conversation with Pupin, President Woodrow Wilson, in his speech to Congress known as the Fourteen Points Speech, insisted on the restoration of a free Serbia, as well as autonomy for the people under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. President Wilson's speech was used as a cornerstone of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, after which the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was established.
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Stevan Todorović (1832-1925), Kornelije Stanković, 1881, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: Kornelije Stanković (1831-1865) was one of the most accomplished Serbian composers. In addition to his original compositions, he also documented the Serbian folk music of his time. Many modern schools of music in Serbia bear his name.
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Anastas Jovanović (1817-1899), Sava Tekelija, 1850, color engraving, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: Sava Tekelija (1761-1842) was the first Serb to hold a Juris Doctor in law, but more importantly, he was a philanthropist who established the Tekilijanum Foundation in Budapest in 1838. The goal of the foundation was to help support the education of talented Serbs by providing food, shelter, and funding. One of the students who was assisted by the Tekilijanum Foundation was the famous Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla.
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PEOPLE This section depicts the lives of ordinary people: their customs, the clothing of the time, such as wedding attire, the features of 19th Century Serbian towns, villages, and houses etc. The majority of images in this gallery have documentary value since they show some of the customs that no longer exist or are practiced by very few.
Paja Jovanović (1859-1957), Sword Fight, 1885, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: Learning how to use weapons of war was crucial for survival of the nation. Your personal life and life of your family could depend on it.
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Stevan Todorović (1832-1925), Gymnastic Society, 1860, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: This image documents a drastic change in the lives of young male Serbians. Instead of bearing arms and dying for freedom, they could now devote themselves to healthy exercise in an outdoor setting.
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Paja Jovanović (1859-1957), Bride Decoration, 1888, oil on canvas, National Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: While being dressed by a group of women for her wedding, a young bride is advised of her future marital duties. Today, these customs are no longer practiced.
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Left: Jovan Popović (1810-1864), Young woman, 1853, oil on canvas, Belgrade Museum, Belgrade. Right: Novak Radonjić (1826 -1889), Portrait of Spouse of Merchant Bokmaz from Sremska Mitrovica, 1860, oil on canvas, Gallery of Matica Srpska, Novi Sad.
Caption: Serbs were exposed to and influenced by both Eastern (Turkish) and Western (Austrian) cultures. At left is a young woman in an “old-fashioned” dress that was the prevalent style in Turkey, and at right, a woman is shown in the new “modern” garment inspired by the Western-style of dress.
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Anastas Jovanović (1817-1899), Gipsy Orchestra, 1860, photography, Belgrade Museum, Belgrade.
Caption: Serbia is a multicultural state with numerous ethnic groups, one of the most colorful being the Gypsies. The first Roma people (Gypsies) settled in Serbia in the 14th Century. Since then, they have been an integral part of Serbian life and culture. They have especially influenced the music of Serbia. My audience can listen to a sample of Serbian Roma (Gypsy) music.
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Meet the Artists This section contains brief biographies of all the artists whose works are included in my presentation. Since each artist has his own gallery, viewers can browse the art gallery by the artist's name.
Brief History of Serbia Through a series of 20 to 30 panels, I try to cover the major events in Serbian history, starting from the 7th century until the present time.
Credits This section is dedicated to all the institutions and individuals who assisted in the research and production of my MFA thesis.
Video production The Home Page, Epic Poetry, Wars, Politics, Prominent Serbs, and People sections each begin with a short video. With the exception of the video about Contemporary Serbia, I produced the major portion of the video footage for my Web site. For the Contemporary Serbia video I used footage provided by the Serbian Touristic Agency. From my personal collection I used a video on Serbian landscapes that I shot few years ago. Every interview, except the interview with Serbian artist Miloš Cvetković, was produced in the USA. For the American videos, I used people from the Washington DC area who have visited Serbia or who are experts in the field of Serbian history and culture. For the Miloš Cvetković interview, I wrote the script and personally interviewed Mr. Cvetković via video call. The interview was filmed by a Serbian TV crew that I hired for this purpose. Since interviews could not cover the whole story that I wanted to tell, I wrote narratives and used these as voice-overs. The Epic Poetry video includes an audio portion of an epic poet singing and playing a traditional, one string, Serbian instrument called a “gusle.” All the videos are short in length, no more than three minutes long.
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Distribution and Exhibition The embassy of the Republic of Serbia will use my project as a part of their Web site. They will also help to find a way to promote Serbian culture through other Web sites and organizations. In addition, embassy personnel are working with me to locate and offer my project to organizations that might be interested in using it. I am also offering my project to the North American Society for Serbian Studies (NASSS). NASSS is dedicated to the multidisciplinary study and advancement of knowledge of Serbia and Serbian culture. I strongly believe my presentation will be more successful and thrive longer if it is part of the collection of an organization that already promotes Serbian culture. As I mentioned previously, the Web site can be promoted online through portals such as YouTube, Facebook and MySpace. I am also sending my presentation to three Web design competitions: The W3Awards, Interactive Media Awards (under the Arts/Culture category) and D&AD (Design and Art Direction) Awards.
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References Church, Leslie F. (1914). The Story of Serbia: Her Birth, Her Death, Her Resurrection. C. H. Kelly, London. Dragnich N. A. (1975). Leadership and Politics: Nineteenth Century Serbia. The Journal of Politics, vol. 37. Jovanovic M. (1992). Between Dreaming and Waking: Serbian Art 1830-1870, Serbian Academy of Science and Art, Belgrade. Jovanovic M. (1998). Uros Predić. Matica srpske, Novi Sad. Jovanovic M. (1976). Serbian Paintings in Time of Romanticism. Narodni muzej, Belgrade. Kusovac N.(1970). Serbian Realism. Narodni muzej, Belgrade. Medakovic D. (1981). XIX Century Serbian Art. Srpska knjizevna zadruga, Belgrade. Medakovic D. (1986). Serbian Painters XVIII – XIX Century. Srpska knjizevna zadruga, Belgrade. Micic R. (1995). Portraits from Serbian History, Matica Srpske, Novi Sad. Mikic O. (1969). Popular Paintings of XIX Century Serbia. Matica srpska, Novi Sad. Popovich Lj. (1976). A Survey of Serbian Art. Cleveland Ethnic Heritage Studies, Cleveland State University. Sekulic J. (2002). Munich School and Serbian Paintings. Republicki zavod za zastitu spomenika kulture, Belgrade.
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Seton-Watson, R. W. (1916). Serbia’s War of Liberation. Women’s Printing Society, London Vujovic B. (1986). Art of Resurrected Serbia 1791-1848. Republicki zavod za zastitu spomenika kulture, Belgrade. Vu
J. (2005). Life in XIX Century Serbia, Zavod za udzbenike i nastavna
sredstva, Belgrade.
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Appendix A: Web Site Screen Shots
Home Page.
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Page: Quick History of Serbia.
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Art Gallery.
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The design of the Art Gallery sections: Epic Poetry, Wars and Politics, Prominent Serbs and People are the same. Therefore below you can only see the look of the Epic Poetry page.
Epic Poetry Gallery page. This is the look of the page when the video panel is opened. Clicking on the “Close Video� button will hide the video panel.
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Epic Poetry Gallery page. This is the look of the page when the mouse-cursor hovers over the image (in color) in the Gallery.
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Epic Poetry Gallery page. This is the look of the image galley page when one selects and enlarges an image.
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Meet the Artists page. The page contains artists’ biographies and their art works included in the presentation.
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Meet the Artists page. This is the look of the page when one selects and enlarges an image.
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Credits page.
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About page.
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Appendix B: Questions for Interviews There are the three interviews I did, along with about two and a half hours of raw video footage: • • •
Interview with photographer Milos Cvetkovic Interview with professor Ljubica Popovich Interview with Predrag Pajic, South Slavic Specialist at Library of Congress. This interview is not.
Questions for Milos Cvetkovic 1. How did you become a war photographer? 2. Is there an event you photographed during the war that you’ll never forget? 3. What is your favorite photograph from the war? 4. Can you describe an ordinary day of a war photographer? 5. What are you photographing today? 6. Are you documenting everyday life of ordinary people?
Questions for Ljubica Popovich Questions for “The Roots of Serbian Culture”: 1. How important is epic poetry for Serbian culture and way of life? 2. Can epic poetry be used an historical resource? 3. Who are the main characters depicted in Serbian epic poetry and are they fictional or real historical persons? 4. In your opinion, do the majority of Serbs, today, see characters from epic poetry as they are depicted in it or do they see them through historical facts? 5. Are there any consequences because of that?
Questions for the section People (this video wav not produced): 1. What was life a like for the Serbs in Ottoman Empire at the beginning of XIX century? 2. How often did Serbs have to migrate and where? 3. What did the majority of Serbs do for a living? 4. Serbs lived in different, geographically distant lands (Serbia, Vojvodina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina) that were under the control of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. Is this something that gave richness to the Serbian culture? 5. Was there any difference in life between Serbs who live inside of the Ottoman Empire and
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those who lived in the Austro-Hungarian Empire? 6. Is Serbian culture still a mixture of Western and Oriental influence? Questions for “Shaping the Modern Serbia”: 1.What was the main cause that triggered the First Serbian Uprising? 2. Do you think that Serbian independence is a product of good diplomacy rather than military operation? 3. Serbian artists painted scenes from Montenegro, Montenegrin people, Montenegrin wars. Why was that? 4. Does a tight connection between Serbian and Montenegrin people exist today? 5. Political assassinations and assassinations of rulers were very common. How do those assassinations reflect Serbian politics today? (Zoran Djindjic - Knez Mihailo) 6. Was there any difference between the rule of Constitutionalists and Price Milos Obrenovic? Questions for the “The Road to Progress”: 1. At the beginning of the 19th century Serbs didn’t have schools. Why is that and did the Turks prevent the Serbs to have their own schools? 2. What was the role of educated Serbs from Vojvodina, during the Serbian Revolution and in setting the foundation for Serbian education? 3. When was the first school founded and by whom? 4. What is the legacy of Vuk Karadzic? 5. How important is the philanthropist work of Sava Tekelija and other Serbian philanthropists, like Kapetan Misa Anastasijevic and Ilija Kolarac? 6. Since Serbia didn’t have any universities untill 1905, where did the Serbian students get their higher education? 7. How important, to Serbia to adopt, was their education abroad?
Questions for Predrag Pajic Predrag Pajic was asked to answer the questions about education in the 19th century Serbia. The questions are the same as questions for the “The Road to Progress” that Ljubica Popovich answered (please see above).
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Appendix C: Scripts The web site “19th Century Serbia as Seen through the Eyes of Its Contemporary Artists” contains the four video clips: • • • •
Hart of Balkans The Roots of Serbian Culture Shaping the Modern Serbia The Road to Progress
The Hart of Balkans VIDEO Serbia on the map of Europe. Plum brandy Brass Band Orchestra
AUDIO Even though still recovering from the political and economical crisis caused by the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, Serbia is a rejuvenated and energized cultural center in the heart of the Balkans.
Küstendorf and EXIT
The home land of plum brandy “Schlivovitz” and the Balkan Brass Band music, with its mountains, villages and many cultural events like Küstendorf and the EXIT music festival, Serbia is a newly established popular tourist destination.
Gucha, Exit, Drvengrad, Zlatibor, the river Drina, the village of Sirogojno
Music: Dejan Petrovic Orchestra - Zig Zag
Novak Djokovic, Milorad Cavic, Milos Cvetkovic in Sarajevo
Most importantly Serbia is the land of talented people like Novak Djokovic and Milorad Cavic, and the land of many talented artists, such as Milosh Cvetkovic, a photographer who captured turbulent events from the most recent Serbian history.
Milos Cvetkovic Refugees, Vukovar: Soldier sitting on the door step of his home.
Interview with Milos Cvetkovic: Milos talking about war, refugees and his favorite image from the war. 58 | P a g e
Images: •
Battle of Mišar
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Battle of Vukovar
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Flight of the Herzegovian
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Serbian Refugees from Bosnia
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Cock fighting
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Gucha Trumpet Festival
Even though there is no fine line between XIX century events and the present time, between the Battle of Mišar and the Battle of Vukovar or between the Flight of the Herzegovian and Serbian Refugees from Bosnia, or between popular entertainment such as Cock fighting and the Gucha Trumpet Festival, artists will always be there to capture the events and the people who shape the future of their country.
The Roots of Serbian Culture VIDEO
AUDIO
Ljubica Popovic
Ljubica Popovich recalling how important epic poetry was for her when she was a child.
Guslar
Traditionally, epic poetry was performed by “Guslar”, who sang epic poems while playing on a single-string wooden fiddle instrument called “gusle”. It was a popular way of entertainment that could be enjoyed by families sitting around the fire, or at village gatherings or clan councils.
Prince Lazar’s Supper
Sound of “Guslar”
The Battle of Kosovo Marko Kraljevic Duel: Marko and Musa
Epic poetry dealt with real historical events, mostly the Battle of Kosovo and the destruction of the Serbian Empire; however, over time, historical events and persons turned into myths. Marko Kraljevic, the most popular epic hero, was depicted as a clever supernatural strongman who fought against the Turks and who could outdo almost 59 | P a g e
anyone. However, according to history, Marko Kraljevic was a Serbian nobleman and a Turkish vassal who died fighting alongside the Turks, but through epic poetry, he became somebody whose character inspired the spirit of the nation. Lubica Popovich Jug Bogdan Nine Jugovic’s
Ljubica Popovich talking about epic poetry as an art form, its development through the time and relations between characters from the epic poetry and real historical persons.
Nine Jugovic’s Prince Lazar Milos Obilic slaying Murad
Serbian epic poetry is full of patriotism, sacrifice and personal courage. Jug Bogdan and his nine sons died sacrificing their lives for the good of Serbia. Prince Lazar, supreme commander of the Serbian Army, also died at the Battle of Kosovo, while the eternal glory belongs to Milos Obilic who slayed Turkish Sultan Murad.
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Shaping Modern Serbia VIDEO The map: The Belgrade Pashaluk inside of the Ottoman Empire
Rista Vukanovic: Dahi and First Dahi’s Victims
AUDIO At the beginning of the XIX century, Serbs lived inside the Ottoman and the AustroHungarian Empires. Unbearable life conditions in Pasaluk of Belgrade forced Serbs to fight for their freedom.
The Battle of Ravanj
Knowing that Serbs were preparing for rebellion, Ottoman governors called Dahi, tried to prevent an uprising by capturing and executing many prominent Serbs. This act angered the people and in February 1804, Serbs lead by Karadjordje Petrovic fought for liberation. For nine years Serbs fought successfully, but when they lost Russia as an important ally, the Serbian Uprising failed.
Ljubica Popovich
Ljubica Popovich: Try and Fail
The Second Serbian Uprising
Serbs fought again in 1815, but this time they used negotiations rather than force to gain semi-independence from the Ottoman Empire. In 1817, the leader of Second Serbian Uprising, Milos Obrenovic, agreed to allow Turks to rule only inside fortified cities. Also, Serbs would regain their original land but would have an obligation to pay annual taxes to the Ottoman Empire. However, it took more than 70 years and one more war for Serbia to become fully independent. In 1876, Serbia together with Montenegro declared war on the Ottoman Empire to protect Serbs living in Herzegovina. In 1878, Serbia finally gained its independence.
The Battle of Misar
Uzice Fortress King Milan going to war The Battle of Vuciji Dol
Milos Obrenovic Assassination of Prince Mihailo
Parallel with its struggle for independence, political life was marked with a struggle for personal power and interests. This ocured mostly between Prince Milos Obrenovic who 61 | P a g e
did not want to share power and a political group called the Defenders of the Constitution. In 1838, Prince Milos was removed from leadership, but this did not have a significant impact on Serbian political life, since the power of one man was replaced with an oligarchic rule. On the other hand, methods that were used in political struggles were sometimes pushed to an extreme. In 2003, the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic evoked memories of the 19th century political struggles. Ljubica Popovich Death of Karadjordje
Ljubica Popovich talking about political assassinations.
King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic
The Road to Progress VIDEO Vladislav Titelbah: Flea Market Karadjordje Petrovic Dositej Obradovic Tekilijanum Students
AUDIO At the beginning of the XIX century, Serbs were illiterate while a newly established country was in demand for educated people. Knowing that education is the right road to progress, Karadjordje Petrovic invited Dositej Obradovic to move from Italy to Serbia. As the most educated Serb of his time, Dositej Obradovic became the first Serbian minister of education. He helped organize the first schools in the country. In the mid XIX century Serbia did not have established universities. It was recognized that basic education needed to be expanded; so many Serbian students started attending universities abroad.
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Ljubica Popovich
Ljubica Popovich: Studing abroad
Merchants
With new ideas economic progress came, and some Serbs became very wealthy. Those successful individual wanted to further Serbian development. Sava Tekelija, which provided financial aid to Serbian students studying in Hungary. During the same period, Misa Anastasijevic donated his huge estate to Serbian education, which to this day remains the headquarters of the University of Belgrade.
Sava Tekelija Tekilijanum Kapetan MIsa Anastasijevic Kapetan Misa’s Building
Ljubica Popovich
Ljubica Popovich: Philanthropy today and in the 19th century.
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Ed Gold
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Sarah Joy Verville
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Roger Friskey
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Ljubica D. Popovich
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