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was exhibited, and this is still the core of the permanent collection of
Slovene art. In all this, of extreme importance was the acquisition of
Slovene and European art works from Strahl’s collection which was
acquired by bequest, donations from the most important patron, Dr
Fran Windischer, who was for years the president of the society, and
donations from some other supporters of Slovene art.
The National Gallery from its early beginnings achieved exceptional
professional success and was highly esteemed by the entire Slovene
public.
The first head of the National Gallery with permanent facilities in a
new dwelling was Janez Zorman, who managed the institution util
1950. He was responsible for carrying out all the renovation works
in Narodni dom, and forming and constantly complementing the
permanent collection with the help of the most prominent Slovene
historians of art, among them Dr Izidor Cankar, Dr France Mesesnel,
Dr France Stele and others. After him, the Gallery was run by Dr
Karel Dobida until 1964; his successor was Dr Anica Cevc. After
her retirement, the post was taken over by Dr Andrej Smrekar; the
current director is Dr Barbara Jaki.
eaCh eXhIbItION − aN eXCePtIONal eVeNt
The National Gallery has always organized exhibitions which are
exceptional events. Together with accompanying publications, these
events are placed between fundamental Slovene history of art’s
works. The most important disctinct exhibitions were Historical
Exhibition of Slovene Paintings (1922), Portrait Paintings since
the 16th century till today (1925), Classicism and Romanticism in
Slovenia (1954), The Beginnings of Slovene Impressionism (1955),
Medieval Frescos in Slovenia (1959), Baroque in Slovenia (1963),
The Art of the 17th Century in Slovenia (1968), Gothic Plastic Art
in Slovenia (1973); similar distinct exhibitions take place each year.
Experts especially appreciated the exhibition of the Gothic plastic art
prepared by Dr Emilijan Cevc, because it presents the area of art and
its positioning in all the Slovene provinces in the Middle ages. Every
type of Gothic art in Slovenia was presented in 1995, when the new
facilities of the National Gallery in the extension of the Narodni dom
were opened. In 2001, the Gallery acquired a new entrance hall,
which concluded its extension and renovation. In 2008 this new
entrance hall received the original of the famous baroque Robb’s
fountain that earlier stood in front of Ljubljana City Hall (a copy now
stands here).
Today, the Gallery has three exhibition places, where two
permanent collections are housed. The entire building complex now
encompasses 12,130 square meters, of which 2040 square meters
are dedicated to the permanent collections, and for non-exhibited
works of arts there is optimal storage place assured with 810 square
meters of depot space. In addition, there are areas for accompanying
activities − a library, phototeque, lecture room, restoration studio,
service activities and offices.
aCCOMPaNyINg the PReSIDeNCy −
IMPReSSIONISM
To honour Slovenia’s presidency of the European Union Council,
when numerous renowned guests from all over the world visited
Ljubljana, the National Gallery mounted ’Slovene Impressionists and
Their Time’ (1890-1920), which will remain open until 8th February
2009. It should be mentioned that American first lady Laura Bush
visited the exhibition with her escorts.
In addition to the extremely fruitful period of Slovene art marked by
the great Slovene artists Rihard JakopiË, Ivan Grohar, Matej Sternen,
Matija Jama, Ivana Kobilca, Ivan Ažbe and others, the exhibition also
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strives to present the period when Ljubljana, and with it the whole
of Slovenia, formed into a modern urban centre and a country
where all the features of civilization were reflected. That was a
period of Ljubljana’s reform, and at the same time, a period of a
new country’s beginning, to which we Slovenes joined after the First
World War, after the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.
At that time, Ljubljana finally formed itself as the political, cultural
and educational capital of Slovenes.
In September, to honour its 90the anniversary the Gallery opened
an exhibition entitled ’The Beginnings of the Art Collection’ that
presents the decades of the extremely intensive life of this central
national institution for collecting, protecting, preserving, studying
and exhibiting the older Slovene visual arts, namely that part of
the spiritual and material culture that has in many ways helped
form the national identity. It was stressed that the Gallery since its
establishment in 1918, has preserved the autonomy and professional
integrity that was outlined already at its founding and in its first
years, in different historical circumstances, political systems and
changes to the state structure. The Gallery has substantially coshaped
Slovenia’s art historians.
The history of the National Gallery of Slovenia in many ways differs
from other European national galleries, since it was necessary
to start − one could say − from nothing, and for its success and
constant growth, a lot of creativity, vision, determination, skill and
reasonableness from its initiators was necessary.
Interestingly, the National Gallery of Slovenia has all the time of
its formation, for its art collections completion to a large extend
depended upon the donations by the individuals and also by the
domestic and foreign institutions. The Gallery’s management
is convinced that donations of individual works of art and larger
collections will help them complement their collections in the years
to come, since state grants are often not sufficient for the acquisition
of important works.