Rodin himself called me an even greater sculptor than he was.

Look at the hands of the gentleman sitting in front of you. Strong, veiny hands responsible for some of the most beautiful Croatian art ever made. Meet Ivan Meštrović, the best and most prominent sculptor in the history of Croatia. As a young boy from a rural part of Croatia, against all odds Meštrović managed to graduate at the prestigious Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. His exhibitions all over the world brought him fortune and fame. In 1947 Meštrović became the first living artist to be offered a one-person exhibition in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. While living in Paris, Meštrović was a close friend of the famous sculptor Auguste Rodin, who praised Meštrović’s work. In Zagreb you can visit the Meštrović Atelier or see the impressive Meštrović Pavilion.