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The
art collection includes paintings, prints, drawings and watercolours,
and a small number of icons and sculptures. Just a glance on the
collection shows a richness of themes, diversity of techniques, and
presence of numerous foreign and domestic artists. This range of
diverse approaches, inspirations and artistic vocations may be
modest on the European scale. However, by both the number and power
of artistic vocations, in Montenegrin terms it is impressive, and
the authors represented are famous artists (Johannes Bes, Josef
Blitz, Jaroslav Čermak, Ferdo Kikerec, Ivan Rendić, Vlaho
Bukovac, Celestin Mato Medović, Aksentije Marodić, Paja
Jovanović, Giovanni Fattori, Giuseppe Pastina, Kiprian Cej,
Domenico Failutti, Frantisek Jelinek etc).
.. .
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King
Nikola's reception room and the diplomatic audience room
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A
number of these works of art resulted from state and political
activity, such as the portraits of European rulers, or from the
relations with European royalties (Savoia, Romanoff, Karadjordjevic,
Batenberg, Mecklenburg-Strelitz), were obtained as presents from
artists staying in Montenegro or purchased for the purpose of
decorating the palace (landscapes, still-lifes, genre scenes).
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Queen's
reception room
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The
most numerous, according to the theme, are portraits of European
rulers, members of the Petrović Njegoš dynasty and of notable
Montenegrins. The collection includes a large number of landscapes,
not just from Montenegro, as well as seascapes, still-lifes,
historical compositions and genre scenes. After World War II, many
icons that belonged to the Montenegrin court were placed in
safekeeping with the church museum in Cetinje, which considerably
diminished the museum collection. In the queen’s reception hall,
among other things, there is a portrait of Queen Elena di Savoia,
work of the Italian mosaic masters.
The
plaque collection, interesting for its theme, forms, stylistic
features and authors, illustrates various celebrations of dynastic,
state, military, political, economic and cultural nature in
Montenegro. Created by famous European medal makers, originating
from the period between 1893 and 1916, these plaques provide
valuable information. The designers are mainly Viennese medal
makers, whose rich experience in the craft of jewellery and
knowledge of heraldic principles secured them plenty of work. Some
items from the collection are representative. Their artistic
characteristics, though, depended to a considerable extent on the
wishes, needs and capacities of their clients. Portraits of Nikola I
and Milena
Petrović,
done by Josef Blitz and Jaroslav Čermak,
are displayed in the King’s bedroom.
It
is
possible to talk about the court icons today based on the available
information from the publications of the time, and partly from the
archives. “The icon of the Kazan Mother of God in silver gilt
clothing”, displayed in Queen Milena’s bedroom, was a gift from
the Slavic Society (Glas Crnogorca, issue 25, 21 June 1881).
Most of the collection is related to the person and rule of Nikola I
Petrović Njegoš.
There
are also many objects from the applied art collection: jewellery and
decorative objects (vases), curtains and carpets.
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The
bedrooms of the princesses
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The
collection of photographs, with the number of its items (includes
around 11,000) and diversity of themes (historical figures, cultural
events and manifestations related to the dynasty, landscapes, war
scenes), possesses exceptional documentary and historical value.
Visits and activities of numerous photographers from many countries,
on different occasions (Edoardo Orlandini, T. Burato, Josif Singer,
Rudolf Mosinger, Anton Peričeviċ, Rudolf Smodlaka, Eugen
Pirou, Luca Comerio, Edward Bailey, Josef Wünsch, Walter Gircke
etc) were recorded by the meticulous Montenegrin chronicler. Thus,
the efforts of the Croatian photographer D. Šimić are recorded
- he photographed all the “major scenes from 'The Balkan Empress'
and sent a set of these photos to His Royal Highness the King and
Master, author of the play. The photos are very nicely done and make
a whole album. His Royal Highness the King and Master was so kind as
to award this photographer with a gold medal” (Cetinjski
vjesnik, issue 98, 11 December, 1910). That they were welcome
and their work appreciated confirm the permits “allowing Mr. Henry
Miliner Himphrys, Mackney Bott, English subjects, to photograph
certain places that they like, during their trip from Cetinje to
Rijeka, Vir and back, and it is therefore recommended to the
administrative authorities not to disturb them in any way (State
Archive, Ministry of Interior, 1911, f. 117, doc no. 3631 from 25
August, 1911).
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The
stairway
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During
the existence of the Montenegrin court, the art collection was
enlarged by the works of the first generation of Montenegrin artists
who studied at art-academies (Pero Poček, Milo Vrbica, Ilija Šobajić,
Anastas Bocarić, Marko Gregović etc). The King’s role of
the patron to young talented artists is well known - he sent them to
major European art centres and allocated generous funds from the
modest state budget for their scholarships. Famous European and
South Slavic artists, whose coming to Montenegro and Cetinje was the
sole merit of Nikola I, had a strong influence on the development of
art in Montenegro
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