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The activities of the painter Marko Rašica during the First World War

The activities of the painter Marko Rašica during the First World War Dubrovnik painter Marko Rašica was raised in a large family. His elder brother was a member of the Party of Rights, the editor of the illegal newspaper Pravo. During his studies in Vienna at Akademie der bildenden Künste from 1903, Marko Rašica was a member of the Croatian – Slovenian art association Vesna, founded with the aim of supporting the affirmation of both national art and style, in answer to the dominant germanism in the Austro – Hungarian monarchy. In 1910 he also became a member of the Croatian Medulić Society whose program was to develop an art specific for its South – Slav characteristics and inspired by national tradition. However, Rašica during the First World War voluntereed in the Austro – Hungarian army. When the First World War broke out he was in Ljubljana and soon after returned to his hometown Dubrovnik. In early 1915 he joined the ranks of the Austro – Hungarian army at the age of thirty one. Although not much is known about his military days, many publications report on his involvement in the organization of numerous exhibitions. At the end of 1915, his paintings were exhibited in Herceg Novi in Montenegro at an exhibition which was one of the cultural and artistic events organized to celebrate the 67th Anniversary of the rule of Franz Joseph I. The exhibition was of a humanitarian character ; the money obtained from the sale of the exhibited paintings was intended for the soldiers and their families. In July 1916 a prize competition is organised for a model of a monument which was to be placed at Štirovnik, the top of Mount Lovćen at the height of 1750 meters. The monument was to be a permanent reminder of the date the peak was conquered. It was Rašica who organized the exhibition at Herceg Novi. From the numerous exhibits, the jury decided to award first prize to Rašica for his plaster cast model of the statue. Vienna newspapers reported on that event describing in detail the planned location of the monument as well as the colossus sculpture. In 1917 Rašica, who was still in the military, organized another humanitarian exhibition in Zagreb which was opened by the archbishop of Zagreb. The most prominent government and local officials as well as prelates were present at the opening of the exhibition. Soon afterwards he was demobilized and employed at the Craft School in Zagreb where he continued working for the next few decades. The circumstances which made the painter enlist in the Austro-Hungarian Army are not known so it is difficult to understand this unexpected move, especially when the painter's biography is taken into consideration and his active participation in art associations established for the affirmation of national identity within the Empire. The painter's autobiography gives no information about this period and there is no explanation for his pragmatic move. However, during that period the painter had several exhibitions and was active both as a painter and an artist thus continuing his work on promoting a style inspired by national heritage, and organized humanitarian exhibitions to help Croatian war victims.

Marko Rašica; painter; First World War

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