About the exhibition in the National gallery in Ljubljana

Jakopič: KrižankeSlovenian Impressionists and their time 1890-1920

The Slovenian National gallery celebrates 90 years of its existence with an exhibition that presents a time, when four great Slovenian Impressionists created their masterpieces, to Slovenia and also the broader European public.

The exhibition of the works of Rihard Jakopič, Matija Jama, Ivan Grohar and Matej Sternen coincides with the Slovenian presidency of the European Union and is therefore an additional opportunity to present a segment of the Slovenian cultural heritage to Europe on a grander scale. The director of the National Gallery, Barbara Jaki, said that for this occasion one could not have chosen anything better than the Impressionists.

The exhibition covers the time between 1890 and 1920. It places the work of the four masters in a wider cultural, social and political context, by also presenting the architecture, sculpture and other painting of that time.

This comprehensive exhibition involved lengthy preparations of all of the National gallery staff and displays around 400 exhibits. The Four Impressionist masters are accompanied by many of their well-known contemporaries, such as Anton Ažbe, Ivana Kobilca, Ferdo Vesel, Ivan Vavpotič and numerous others. At the same time the exhibition draws attention to the sculptural, photographic and architectural achievements of the time, when a post-earthquake Ljubljana took on its Secessionist appearance and when the town gained some important monuments.

The exhibition will be opened until the 8th of February 2009.