Great artists of Šibenik in the Humanism and Renaissance periods, and in XIX ct.

Šibenik was a place of many artists who all left behind valuable pieces of art. Along with Juraj Dalmatinac and Nikola Firentinac, who took part in the construction of the great gothic-renaissance cathedral of Šibenik, there were other architects and sculptors, e.g. Andrija Aleši, Ivan Pribislavić; painters such as Juraj Čulinović, Nikola Vladanov, Andrija Medulić; writers, historians and scientists, e.g. Juraj Šižgorić – the author of the first printed collection of poetry by a Croatian poet (in 1477), Dinko Zavorović – the first Croatian poet, Franjo Divnić, Ivan Tomko Mrnavić and – the greatest of all – Antun Vrančić and Faust Vrančić; the first music composers: Julije Skjavetić, Ivan Lukačić i Ivan Šibenčanin and many others.

JURAJ ŠIŽGORIĆ ( 1420. – 1509. )

Šibenik’s first humanist and poet. He was the central figure in Šibenik’s humanist circle and one of the most influential figures of XV ct. cultural life as well as of cultural history and of Croatian people.

His Book of Poetry and Elegies (Georgii Sisgorei Elegiarum et carmieurem libri tres, Venice , 1477) was the first published book by a Croatian author.

NIKOLA VLADANOV ( XIV. XV. st. )

The oldest prominent Šibenik’s painter. His only preserved work is the “Poliptih”. It is exhibited as a part of sacral art collection in St. Barbara church.

JURAJ MATVEJEV DALMATINAC ( poč. XV. st. – 1473. – 75. )

Sculptor, fortificator, urbanist, architect of the famous Šibenik cathedral. He is the founding father of Šibenik’s school of construction. He is our greatest constructor and sculptor of the XV ct. His artistry in shaping human figure made him one of the greatest renaissance masters in these parts.

JURAJ ČULINOVIĆ ( 1433. – 36. – 1504. )

Šibenik’s greatest renaissance painter. His major works are Triptih (Padovian-Berlin) and Madona (Torino, Baltimore, London ). He was Juraj Dalmatinac’s contemporary and married Dalmatinac’s daughter Jelena.

IVAN POLIKARP SEVERITAN ( 1472. – 1530. )

A humanist, Latin poet, prose writer and philosopher. He is one of the first, most productive and original Croatian humanists. Twenty-two of his works have been preserved out of which eight were published (and seven have remained unpublished to the present day).

ANTUN VRANČIĆ ( 1504. – 1573. )

A writer, Latinist, historian, diplomat, royal ambassadors, cardinal and the most educated and learned man of his time. His public work and cultural creation, patriotism and humanism secured him a high position in the cultural history of Croatian people and made him the most honourable member in Šibenik’s hall of fame.

FAUST VRANČIĆ ( 1551. – 1617. )

Humanist, Latin and Croatian writer, polihistorian, scientist, physicist, inventor, philologist, philosopher. He was one of the greatest minds in Croatia at the time and the greatest (along with his uncle Antun Vrančić) scientist and writer in the history of Šibenik. His most important work is the “New machines” (Machinae novae, 1595), which contained 49 of his projects, sketches and drawings, among which was the first published parachute sketch, the Flying Man (Homo volans). His other major work is the Dictionary of five most noble European languages, Latin, Italian, German, Dalmatian and Hungarian. This Dictionary (Dictionarium quinque nobillissimaum Europae… 1595) was the first printed dictionary in Croatia and the first more extensive one in Hungary.

DINKO ZAVOROVIĆ ( 1540. – 1608. )

The first modern historiographer in Croatia . His major works; “The History of Šibenik” and “The History of Dalmatia” have remained in manuscripts to the present day.

BOŽO BONIFAČIĆ (1538. – 1592.)

Famous cartographer and engraver whose work was known across Europe . His artistic opus was quite extensive. He made engravings following Italian masters, made maps and book illustrations according to contemporary artists’ models. Fifty of his works have been preserved. He also made many religious motifs’ illustrations.

MARTIN KOLUNIĆ ROTA (1540.-45. – 1583.)

Famous engraver, master of graphics and cartographer. Most precious of his works are graphics of Roman emperors. His works are kept in some of the world’s greatest museums.

JULIJE SKJAVETIĆ (1530.-35. – kraj XVI. st.)

First known composer in Šibenik and one of the earliest composers in Croatia . With him began the so-called “existence of nation’s art music”. He published 52 original works (madrigals, motets, gregeskas ).

IVAN MARKO LUKAČIĆ (1584. – 1648.)

One of the first composers in Šibenik’s music life who reflected ideals of a new music epoch, the baroque. He was also well known in Europe for his motets.

IVAN TOMKO MRNAVIĆ (1580. – 1637.)

Dramatist, religious writer, translator, historian, diplomat and Church’s dignitary. He wrote many historical and sacral-historical works in Latin and Croatian. His most famous work, d ”Osmanšica”, a tragedy in 5 acts ( Rome , 1631), is the first Croatian drama dealing with the theme from contemporary history. He was a friend and an admirer of Faust Vrančić, his contemporary.

JAKOV ARMOLUŠIĆ (1575. – 1649.)

Poet who made his name by “Slava ženska i protivni odgovor Jakova Armolušića Cvitu šestom” (roughly translated: “The glory of women and the counter-argument to the Sixth flower by Jakov Armolušić of Šibenik”;in Padova, 1643), the only work he left as his literary heritage. In this polemic praise he defends the entire female population.

IVAN ŠIBENČANIN (1640. – 1705.)

Renowned composer, an exceptional tenor and an organ player, he was also the first Croatian to compose operas. “Atalanta” was set on stage in Turin in 1673 followed by “Leonida in Sparta ” in 1689, while “Strpljen spašen”( roghly translated as “Good things come to those who wait”) had its opening night in Venice (1692). Šibenčanin also composed various other vocal-instrumentalist works.

ROBERT VISIANI (1800. – 1878.)

This doctor, a famous botanist, a poet and a philosopher, the first member of the Academy from Šibenik was also a lecturer at the University of Padova . He wrote the famous “Flora Dalmatica” (three volumes published consecutively in 1842, 1847 and 1852) and “Dopune”(“Suplenta”, additional three volumes published in 1872, 1877 and, posthumously, in 1882). He was either a regular or an honorary member of more than 50 different scientific and literary associations, academies and boards of the highest rank.

NIKOLA TOMMASEO (1802. – 1874.)

Writer, linguist, lexicographer, philosopher, critic, translator. All these were the occupations of this resident of Šibenik, one of the most learned and most educated men in 19th Century Europe . He wrote over 200 different literary units. He was the greatest Italian 19th Century writer but this didn’t prevent him from writing the famous “Iskrice” (“Sparks”) in Croatian. He drew inspiration for his literary work mostly from his hometown of Šibenik and the Damatia region.