ÐURA JAKŠIC MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Srpska Crnja 32220
The Ðura Jakšic Memorijalni Muzej in Srpska Crnja honors its own Ðura Jakšic, a highly respected, talented and beloved 19th century writer and painter.
A
brief anthology of his literary achievements include:
- Poetry: Otadžbina, Padajte braco, Na Liparu, Na straži, Ponoc
- Lyrics: The Birthland
- Dramas: Stanoje Glavaš, Seoba Srba, and Jelisaveta [Princess of Montenegro]
The
author of heroic, nationalistic stories, classical tragedies and
expansive poems, Jakšic's dramas were also performed on stage. See The
History of Serbian Culture, "The
Theatre," by Petar Marjanovic; Jakšic's
style and inspiration
are further discussed in "Literature
in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries - Jovan Deretić"
(translated by Randall A. Major).Ðura Jakšic was also a renowned Serbian Romanticism artist who was one of the first in his time to break away from the Viennese Classicism style. Many experts believe that Serbian Romanticism even reached its peak in Jakšic's work from 1850 to 1870. See The History of Serbian Culture, "Art in the Nineteenth Century," by Dejan Medakovic. A few examples of his paintings are:
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 Strahinjic Ban |
 Nocna straza - karaula |
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It has been
rumored that Jakšic
designed the first banknotes in the Principality of Serbia. Printed in
1876 as the money of the Main Treasury for financing the Serbian-Turkish
War, the banknotes were never put into circulation.
Jakšic's paintings continue to be exhibited in museums and galleries throughout Serbia and Montenegro, as well as neighboring countries.
Ðura Jakšic
made his home in Skadarlija [Skadarska], Belgrade. Located in a
former gypsy neighborhood, the street was named for Skadar, Albania in
1872. Skadarlija has quartered Belgrade's bohemian sector since the late
19th century when famous writers, artists and actors began gathering in
its restaurants. Thus,
Jakšic's
house became a meeting
place for "Skadarlija nights" poets and, as a present day
gallery, it continues to host artist
exhibitions and music recitals.
"Djura Jaksic (1832-1878) was a poet, painter, narrator, play writer, and great patriot. He occasionally spent time in Novi Sad and was friendly with Jasa Ignjatovic (another famous Serbian author). This monument, created by Jovan Soldatovic, was placed in Dunavski [Danube] Park where, since 1982, children often play and sit on his knees. Jakšic painted portraits of national history in a literal mélange of those times and also some of the icons in the Almaska Kapela [Almas Chapel] graveyard."
A 150 cm. bronze monument, also by Jovan Soldatovic and erected in 1990, stands before Jakšic's former home in Skadarlija, Belgrade, and in June of each year, "Djura Jaksic Days" in Srpska Crnja are sponsored by the Cultural- Educational Union of Vojvodina.
Plaque on the wall of Ðura Jakšic's house in Skadarska (Skadarlija), Belgrade:
