“Depiction of Dubravka in front of the Duke’s Palace” is a study for the painting “Dubravka”, originally intended for the “golden hall” of the Department of Worship and Education (today the Croatian Institute of History) in Zagreb.

In the study/painting, Bukovac showed about thirty Dubrovnik greats from various eras, from the 15th century to the Bukovac era (Ivan Gundulić, Cvijeta Zuzorić, Ruđer Bošković, Junije Palmotić…), watching the performance of Gundulić’s pastoral “Dubravka” under the portico of the Duke’s Court. Among them was Bukovac himself with his wife and close friends. A very studious approach to the mentioned topic was followed by the sketching of individual characters, their adequate “composition” in space and interrelationship, the study of the architecture of the Duke’s Court as well as costumes from the era of the Republic of Dubrovnik.
The painting “Dubravka” was exhibited at the 1896 Millennium Exhibition in Budapest. It was purchased by the Hungarian government and is now in the Szépmüvészeti Museum in Budapest.
Vlaho Bukovac
Presentation of “Dubravka” in front of the Duke’s Palace

Taken from the Club of Cultural and Public Workers in Cetinje in 1954.