Terra Gothica Incognita Exhibition: "Splendor Istriae – Gothic Wall Paintings in Istria"

On Thursday, August 6^th at 1:00 PM, the grand opening of the "Splendor Istriae – Gothic Wall Paintings in Istria" exhibition will take place in the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist in Koper. The exhibition is dedicated to painting workshops active in Istria, the Slovenian Karst and Kastav area in the 14^th and 15^th century.

The Koper exhibition is the first of three smaller exhibitions put together under the Terra Gothica Incognita project. Co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg Slovenia – Croatia (2021–2027) program, the project researches, interprets and presents the exceptional heritage of the Gothic period in the geographical area of Istria, creating a unique cultural route.

The exhibit in Koper places special emphasis on the second half of the 15th century and the phenomenon of the Kastav School of Painting. The central figure of the exhibition is John of Kastav (Ivan iz Kastva), the leader of an exceptional workshop whose works adorn Hrastovlje, Gradišče pri Divači, and Podpeč. Through reproductions, interpretive content and an overview of the historical context, visitors will have the opportunity to explore Gothic wall painting and the excellence of local painting workshops, as well as those that came to Istria from the Veneto, Friuli, Emilia-Romagna and southern German regions.

The opening program includes a free expert fresco-making workshop on Friday, August 7, at 6:00 PM at the Koper Regional Museum, led by Hari Vidović. Participants will have the opportunity to try the traditional technique of painting on wet plaster (fresco) and experience firsthand how these fascinating medieval masterpieces were created.

The next exhibition stops will be in Draguć and Kastav.

Source / Photo: The Historical and Maritime Museum of Istri

The project is co-financed by the Office for Associations of the Government of the Republic of Croatia