Croatian miscellany #12

Sculpture of the Croatian poet, writer and politician Vladimir Nazor (1876–1949), in Zelengaj. Zagreb, December 2007

Nazor was born on the island of Brač (a lovely place), the folk legends of which informed one of his best-known works, Pastir Loda (‘Loda the Shepherd’). During the Second World War he joined the Partisans, and was later appointed first president of the Croatian parliament in Tito’s Yugoslavia. Appropriately enough, in this sculpture he wears a Partisan hat and cloak (which led to the statue being removed briefly during the Tudman era, along with a few other references to the Partisans, though it was later reinstalled).
It’s not just perspective which makes the man in the background look small – the statue is huge.
Photo © Rudolf Abraham. No unauthorized use.