CROATIAN MARITIME HERITAGE EXHIBITION OPENS IN ZAGREB

( Editorial: --> 5210 ) ZAGREB, Aug 22 (Hina) - Paintings and models of old sailing ships, rock reliefs of boats, shipping diaries, ocean maps and captain's room furniture are just some of the items featured in an exhibition entitled "Croatian Maritime Heritage", which was opened in Zagreb on Friday night. The exhibits featured at the Klovicevi Dvori gallery were made between the 15th and 19th centuries and have been borrowed from museums, galleries, churches and private collections from Rovinj in north-western Croatia to its southern city of Dubrovnik. The exhibited paintings and models faithfully portray the development of shipping typology in Croatia, and at the same time follow artistic styles from the Renaissance to the realist directions of the 19th century. According to Klovicevi Dvori program head Biserka Rauter Plancic, some of the exhibits were found even in the smallest places along the Croatian coast which showed the strong centuries old maritime tradition of Croatia. Many paintings show ships in storms, with the Virgin Mary or saints in the upper part of the painting. These are so-called votive pictures which sailors, as a thanksgiving for returning safely to port after rough weather, bought or ordered and took back home. The whole collection of such paintings, which began during the 17th century, was kept in numerous sanctuaries and churches. The exhibition pays special attention to the role of Dubrovnik, the trading and maritime capital of the 16th century, from which sailed the renowned sailing ships known as "galijuni" under the "Libertas" (Liberty) flag of the medieval Dubrovnik Republic. The exhibition was already featured as part of Croatia's presentation at EXPO '98 in Lisbon, and should then visit London and Edinburgh. Nada Fiskovic is the exhibition curator. It is open until September 6. (Hina) mbr 221309 MET aug 98