The 66 works on display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Osijek were unveiled in a ceremony on Thursday, dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of the world-renowned sculptor, a native of Osijek. This is the first comprehensive retrospective of Nemon’s work, bringing together 66 works from domestic and international collections.
The deputy mayor of Osijek, Dragan Vulin, attended the opening, stating that the city of Osijek proudly supports the project, which contributes to preserving the artist’s legacy and the city’s international profile. The Minister of Culture and Media, Nina Obuljen Koržinek, highlighted the international significance of the exhibition and the successful collaboration of the Museum of Fine Arts with numerous partners. She stated that this is not only the first comprehensive presentation of Nemon’s work in Croatia but possibly the most complete exhibition of his work overall. She praised the Museum of Fine Arts, which, following the Schiavone project, has launched another major international project, gathering partners from the United Kingdom and Belgium, as well as private foundations from Switzerland, alongside collectors from Croatia.
The Osijek-Baranja County President, Nataša Tramišak, assessed the exhibition as an important cultural and historical event. She thanked the Nemon family for lending valuable artworks, as well as the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of Culture and Media, and the City of Osijek for their support in realising this major project.
Among the exhibited works are portraits of prominent 20th-century figures, including Winston Churchill, Sigmund Freud, Queen Elizabeth II, King Albert I of Belgium, Margaret Thatcher, and Bernard Montgomery. The exhibition was curated by art historian Dr Daniel Zec, who highlighted that the installation covers all key phases of Nemon’s work. He explained that this is the first major and comprehensive retrospective of his work, not only in Croatia but worldwide, presenting all the key phases of his career and his most important works. He added that Nemon was a master portraitist who created equally valuable artistic portraits when his models were people without a prominent historical role.
The director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Eduard Hudec, expressed pride in the staff and partners who realised the demanding project. He highlighted that the exhibition holds special significance as he is about to retire, noting that at the start of his first term he had the opportunity to open the Vugrić collection, and now, at the end of his professional career, they are opening a major exhibition of Oscar Nemon. Members of Nemon’s family were also present at the opening.
Oscar Nemon was born in 1906 in Osijek, but achieved international fame primarily in the United Kingdom, where he worked until his death in 1985. The exhibition was organised by the Museum of Fine Arts and the Osijek-Baranja County, with the support of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of Culture and Media, and the City of Osijek. The installation is open until 10 January 2027.
