Crucifixion

1984
oil/glass
550 x 600 mm
signature: down in the right corner: Nada Švegović – Budaj / 1984

A variety of characters about three crucifixes in the background. In the foreground a woman, probably Mary, but without the characteristics of the saints, lying with his eyes closed, and the two women try to help her. Next to her a man kneeling with folded hands. The dark colors with a few gray or reddish accents.

Nada Svegovic Budaj was born on January 11 1951 at Gola. Having attended elemetary school, she started painting and exhibiting in 1968, encouraged by the example of one of her neighbours, Martin Mehkek. In 1973/74 she perfected the technique of pianting on glass and discovered an individual approach featuring various kinds of rural genre scenes with large group of people, distinguished by a great sense of movement, both in the individual figure, through highly theatrical gesticulation, and in whole groups. This period typically features bucolic scenes, a lively colouring and grotesque figures. Since 1975 she has lived in Koprivnica. In 1980's she abandoned the traditional Hlebine scheme and stereotypes and concentrated on figures and landscapes. She made her palette darker, the works became more dramatic, and forms inconsistent, often with a visible ductus. At the end of 1980's she concentrated on mythical scenes of mainly Greek or Roman origin - she eliminated narrative and focussed on presenting the mood of highly dramatic situations. (quote: Vladimir Crnković, "The Art of the Hlebine School", Croatian Museum of Naive Art, Zagreb, 2006., page 242, translation to English: Graham McMaster)
She lives and works in Zagreb.