#Nasta Rojc

[makingqueerhistory]

Selected Works from Nasta Rojc

Nasta Rojc was born in Croatia in 1891 and left an enduring legacy as both a pioneer in the arts and a courageous figure in the Croatian resistance movement during World War II. Her life story is marked by resilience, creativity, and a commitment to women in the arts.

As a lesbian who lived in a time when LGBTQ+ rights were virtually nonexistent, she entered into a lavender marriage with fellow artist Branko Šenoa, which allowed her to attend art school and maintain her safety. As an artist, Rojc broke barriers by becoming the first female solo exhibitionist at the prestigious Salon Ullrich. Her art, characterized by bold colors and depictions of traditional Croatian folk wear, captivated audiences and earned her recognition within the Croatian art world. It is possibly because of her talent and uplifting of Croatian culture that she is remembered.

After Croatian independence, there has been a resurgence of interest in Rojc's works, with exhibitions and retrospectives celebrating her contributions to Croatian art and history. Her paintings serve as a testament to her talent and vision, while her legacy as a pioneer in both the arts and activism continues to inspire future generations. Nasta Rojc's life is a reminder of the power of art to transcend boundaries and its use as a tool to discuss and fight oppression.

You can find these works and more in our gallery!

[oldpaintings]

Self-portrait, 1922 by Nasta Rojc, 1883--1964)

[yourdailyqueer]

Nasta Rojc (deceased)

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Lesbian

DOB: 6 November 1883 

RIP: 6 November 1964

Ethnicity: White - Croatian

Occupation: Artist

Note: Was one of the most prominent Croatian painters in the early twentieth century.

[karrova]

Nasta Rojc, Autoportret u lovačkom odijelu [Self-portrait in a Hunting Outfit], 1912

[random-brushstrokes]

Nasta Rojc - Self Portrait with a Rifle (1912)

Nasta Rojc, one of the first academically educated female painters in Croatia, was born in 1883 into a wealthy family. Her father was Croatian politician Milan Rojc, a former Minister of Education. From a young age she didn’t fit the stereotype of a young girl so, after many quarrels with her family, she persuaded them to let her peruse her true calling – painting. She was mentored by the prominent Croatian painter Oton Iveković thanks to whom she became skillful enough to continue educating herself in Vienna and Munich, alongside some of the most exquisite artists like Miroslav Kraljević and Josip Račić. She excelled at portraits and landscapes, but although she was often present in various galleries, her work was frequently overlooked. In order to obtain a better status in society her family talked her into an arranged marriage with her friend, a colleague painter, Branko Šenoa. Their marriage was based on friendship – there was neither romance nor intimacy. Nevertheless, Nasta stayed legally married to Branko until his death in 1939, even after she met her one true love.

Because of her poor health, Nasta took a trip to England, just after the end of World War I. Through one encounter she managed to heal her physical and emotional health. She met Alexandrina Maria Onslow, an officer of the British army, famous for her bravery on the war field that brought her medals of honor. Alexandrine was an exceptional woman, famous for testing the boundaries of femininity, thus opening Nasta up to her true nature. Nasta and Alexandrine traveled throughout England and Scotland getting to know one another and becoming deeply infatuated with one another; luckily, this love and infatuation lasted a lifetime and beyond. On that trip, Nasta painted the first painting of an automobile in Croatian art history, making a precedent once again, merely by her extravagantly bold life choices for that time. The two lovers returned to Zagreb together and started living together in a house that Nasta designed herself, along with a well-known architect Hugo Ehrlich, in a famous area of Zagreb, Rocco’s park.

Unfortunately, not everything went smoothly for the couple. Nasta and Alexandrine supported the partisans and after the proclamation of the Independent State of Croatia in 1941 their home was confiscated and though both of them were ill (at that time age 60 and 75), they were arrested, but soon released on account of insufficient proof. The stress was unbearable for Alexandrine, who started to fall ill more frequently, until she eventually died in 1949, leaving devastated Nasta alone. Nasta spent most of her time in the rose garden, reminiscing of her departed partner, allegedly barely painting. She died forgotten and poor on November 6, 1964, on the date of her birth. She was buried next to her beloved Alexandrine Onslow on the Mirogoj cemetery. (source)

[classicdavinci]

Nasta Rojc (Croatian, 1883-1964), Self Portrait

[boxedclocksandomens]

[Art: Crows in an open winter landscape by Eduard Hildebrandt, Putnik by Nasta Rojc, Twilight by Sergey A Tutunov, Evening by Maurice Pirenne, Candles by Paul Benney. Lyrics from Adam Raised a Cain by Bruce Springsteen.]

[juditaborg]

[the-paintrist]

Nasta Rojc - Selfportrait with a rifle - 1912

Nasta Rojc (Bjelovar, 6 November 1883 - Zagreb, 6 November 1964), was a Croatian painter.

[lavandin]

The most irrelevant streets are reserved to be named after female artists.

In reference to my previous post. 

Trsat, Rijeka, 25 April 2017

[labonnecoeur]

Nasta Rojc

[importantcreatormoon]

Nasta Rojc “Traveler”

[ortaci]

Spreads from Me, the fighter, the story of painter Nasta Rojc. Illustrated by Ana Mušćet, text by Leonida Kovač. Published by MSU Zagreb, 2018.

[random-brushstrokes]

Nasta Rojc - Portrait of Mrs Death (1911)

[proezas]

Some Self Portraits by Women Artists:

Sofonisba Anguissola (Italian, 1530-1625), Self Portrait at the Easel Painting a Devotional Panel, 1556

Judith Leyster (Dutch, 1609-1660), Self Portrait, ca. 1630

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (French, 1755-1842), Self Portrait in a Straw Hat, after 1782

Marie-Gabrielle Capet (French, 1761-1818), Self Portrait, c. 1783

Zinaida Serebriakova (Russian, 1884-1967), At the Dressing Table - Self Portrait, 1909

Nasta Rojc (Croatian, 1883-1964), Self Portrait, 1912

Tamara de Lempicka (Polish, 1898-1980), Self Portrait in the Green Bugatti, 1925

Leonor Fini (Argentine-French, 1908-1996), Self Portrait with Scorpion, 1938

Frida Kahlo (Mexican, 1907-1954), Self Portrait, 1945

Yana Movchan (b. in Kiev, Ukraine, 1971), Beautiful Me (Self Portrait), 2014

[somanyhumanbeings]

Nasta Rojc, Portret Maje Strozzi