The exhibition "Painting Miniatures by Slaven Vidović" opened on Saturday at the Split Art Gallery, presenting for the first time works from the previously unknown artistic oeuvre of Slaven Vidović, the son of painter Emanuel Vidović. Curated by Iris Slade, the show features eighty works on paper created during the 1920s, drawn from the legacy of Vidović's daughter Zjenja Čulić. Due to the fragility of the originals, high-quality prints are displayed instead. Vidović, a prominent physician and art collector, studied medicine in Prague from 1919 to 1926, where he developed a passion for capturing everyday life in working-class districts, night bars, and cafes, drawing on styles including Fauvism, Cubism, Dadaism, Expressionism, and Neorealism.
This exhibition matters because it brings to light a previously hidden chapter of Croatian art history, revealing the dual career of Slaven Vidović as both a respected physician and a talented artist. By showcasing his student-era works from Prague, the show connects local heritage to broader European modernist movements. It also highlights the delicate balance between preservation and public access, as the decision to exhibit scans rather than fragile originals reflects contemporary conservation challenges. The exhibition was supported by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Split, underscoring institutional commitment to rediscovering overlooked cultural figures.