VIDEO: First sculpture dedicated to sailors’ wives on Croatian island of Lošinj
- by croatiaweek
- in News
First sculpture dedicated to wives of sailors unveiled on Croatian island of Lošinj (Photo credit: Sandro Tariba)
A sculpture dedicated to the wives of sailors was unveiled on the Croatian island of Lošinj recently.
Every ship from Lošinj, when it set sail from the port for a long journey, would dock in one of the most beautiful coves in the island of Lošinj – Čikat bay near the church of the Annunciation of Mary where the crew would disembark and pray the rosary with their families in the church before parting.
The artistic sculpture “ADDIO” was created as a symbol of tradition, but also of love and loyalty. The bronze sculpture, 178 cm high, found its place exactly in the same place where wives from the island of Lošinj used to farewell their sailors years ago.
(Photo credit: Sandro Tariba)
The sculpture is dedicated to Marija Stuparić, the wife of Captain Aldebrand Petrina, who waved and farewelled him as he sailed into the distance. “Addio, moj ljubljeni!” (goodbye, my beloved!) she said to the wind and waved a white handkerchief to the sailing ship that was disappearing on the horizon.
(Photo credit: Sandro Tariba)
Then she would return to the small church of the Annunciation of Mary (Annunziata) to pray once more for his happy return. The initials M.S. on the handkerchief they belong to Marija, who was a dear and self-effacing woman.
(Photo credit: Sandro Tariba)
During their 32 years of married life, they only spent 13 months together in their home on Lošinj. Sailors’ wives had to be strong-minded, persistent and patient and ready for anything.
(Photo credit: Sandro Tariba)
“We wanted to pay tribute to all the sailors’ wives who saw them off and waited for their return in an attractive, modern and somewhat abstract way. The form of the classical sculpture has been retained, with a skilled silhouette, the performance is more airy and unique. The sculpture is life-size, on the back is a motif that used to be found on the headbands of women from Lošinj, and which can be seen here in a permanent display;” explained the director of the Lošinj Museum, Zrinka Ettinger Starčić.
Academic sculptor and author of the sculpture, Zvonimira Obad, explained how it is an artistic interpretation of the sculpture.
(Photo credit: Sandro Tariba)
“In fact, it is about the form of a woman in a costume, which is layered and lost in space, and which is “carried away by the wind”. The idea comes from the symbol of a tradition that is falling into oblivion, all for the purpose of “retaining” the time that has passed and renewing the feeling of belonging to the environment. The sculpture “Addio” is a symbol of love and fidelity,” Obad says.
(Photo credit: Sandro Tariba)
“In this way, we help preserve another valuable memory of our rich maritime past. Based on these past events, the stage presentation of the seamen’s send-off “Salute to the Captain” was designed, which takes place every September as part of the LOSINAVA festival, an event dedicated to the rich maritime tradition of the island of Lošinj,” said the director of the Tourist Board of Mali Lošinj, Dalibor Cvitković.
(Photo credit: Sandro Tariba)
