An exhibition on loan from the Croatian Museum of Tourism in Opatija
Exhibition concept by Dr Mirjana Kos
Coordinator: Vesna Leiner
Duration: June 7 – September 2, 2018
Karl Kaser (Tišnov, 1861 – Vienna, 1942), doctor of law and art photographer, was involved in trends in art photography in Vienna at the turn of the 19th and 20th century. In 1897 he visited Opatija, Rijeka, Dubrovnik and Kotor. After that he returned to the Dalmatian coastline almost every year, until World War I broke out. During these trips he took numerous photos of the Croatian coast and sea. A talented and cool-headed observer, he recorded photographically numbers of seascapes and cityscapes, parts of landscapes, architectural details, unrepeatable atmospheric moments and genre scenes. He was meticulous in framing his views and buildings, ships and ports, the people and their everyday life.
Kaser’s brilliant photographs have not only artistic but also documentary, cultural and historical value. For anyone who looks at them they are a valuable source of information about natural beauties, the cultural heritage, the manner of life, customs and clothing. The extensive photographic legacy kept by Hildegund and Hermann Kaser, the heirs of Karl Kaser, amount today to about 450 photographs of our coast, taken between 1897 and 1914.
At the exhibition in Zagreb City Museum we show just a small part of this very worthwhile legacy. The photographs of Karl Kaser exhibited after more than a century, just like their author, are travelling to the cities along our coast and in the inland part of Croatia, giving the public the chance to enjoy the beauties of our country.
