Shame”
10 × 15 cm, oil on wood
2026

Everything you feel in this moment.
And what follows is guilt.
Created for my upcoming solo exhibition at the Dulčić Masle Pulitika Gallery @momadubrovnik.
#OilOnWood #ContemporaryArt #FigurativeArt #Art2026 #ArtOnWood #CroatianArtist #ArtWork

Hearts in Cloud (2025)
Oil on wood
55 × 30 cm

— drop a ❤️

#art2025 #oilpainting #contemporaryart #modernlove #digitalromance #figurativeart #croatianartist #newartwork #artcollectors #emotionalart #loveintheclouds #fineartpainting

In her 1922 painting “Horsewoman – Self-portrait,” Croatian artist Nasta Rojc depicts herself in a dark riding outfit with tricorne hat, serious and dignified, next to a powerfully built brown horse whose head dominates the central part of the composition. The artist's gaze is direct and firm, almost defiant, as she tightly holds the reins, a symbol of control and determination. The dark palette and classical composition emphasize the gravity and elegance of the scene. By choosing an equestrian theme and portraying herself as a horsewoman, Rojc expresses not only personal independence but also a challenge to the social norms of femininity and women’s roles in art and society of the time. This self-portrait is a powerful statement of identity and a woman’s place in a traditionally male domain. In her work, Rojc often combined a realistic approach with strong symbolic meaning. Her self-portraits and portraits, especially of women, convey a clear desire for self-definition, equality, and inner strength. She painted in the spirit of post-impressionism and symbolism, with a particular focus on the psychological depth of her subjects and the ambient mood. Her palette was rich yet restrained, and her compositions deliberate and stable, highlighting the dignity of the figures she portrayed. Rojc was one of the most important Croatian female painters of the first half of the 20th century. She received her artistic education in Zagreb, Munich, and Vienna, and lived and worked between Croatia and abroad. She was among the few women of her era to pursue a professional career in painting, and through both her work and character, she challenged and expanded the visibility of women in the arts. In 1927, with fellow artists, Rojc co-founded the Club of Women Artists (Klub likovnih umjetnica), the first artistic association in Croatia composed exclusively of women including painters, sculptors, and applied artists.

Jahačica-Autoportret (Horsewoman – Self-portrait) by Nasta Rojc (Croatian) - Oil on canvas / 1922 - Nacionalni muzej moderne umjetnosti (Zagreb, Croatia) #WomenInArt #art #WomanArtist #WomensArt #FemaleArtist #artText #CroatianArtist #CroatianArt #artwork #NastaRojc #Rojc #NationalMuseumofModernArt

Foggy memory of that one girl that you always thought she was cool but you never got to see her again #ocsky #art #portrait #digitalart #dream #brunette #blurry #croatianartist #tonxdraws

Nasta was born into an affluent family. Her father, Milan Rojc, a lawyer and politician, was reluctant to support his daughter’s choice of a career in the arts. She nevertheless succeeded in convincing him and began taking painting lessons in Zagreb from Oton Iveković, followed by classes at women’s art schools in Vienna (Kunstschule für Frauen und Mädchen) and Munich (Frauen Akademie). In 1909, she married a friend, the painter Branko Šenoa, but the marriage was one of convenience. The pair never divorced, although she lived with her female partner Alexandrine Onslow, a British army officer, from the 1920s until Onslow’s death in 1950. This “Self-portrait in a Hunting Suit” from 1912, painted in the Munich manner of tonal painting, is a powerful depiction of an emancipated, self-conscious woman in a bold pursuit of a traditionally male hobby. Rojc stands in a three-quarter profile against a wintry landscape with her head slightly tilted to the side so that her gaze is penetrating, almost provocative. Her muted olive skirt and dark brown hair (framing Rojc’s beauty and face) are blown by the wind from behind while her left hand is nonchalantly placed inside the pocket of a matching olive green jacket. A long brown rifle hanging from her right shoulder further contributes to the impression of Rojc’s grit and capability.

Self-Portrait in a Hunting Suit by Nasta Rojc (Croatian) - Oil on canvas / 1912 - National Museum of Modern Art (Zagreb, Croatia) #womeninart #womanartist #art #oilpainting #croatianartist #NastaRojc #womensart #womanpainter #fineart #artwork #portrait #selfportrait #croatian #hunting #modernart