“Marko Marulić – A European humanist” NSK exhibition on view in Bern by 12 Nov 2024

By 12 November 2024, the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in the Swiss Confederation will be hosting Marko Marulić – A European humanist, the exhibition of the National and University Library in Zagreb (NSK) spotlighting the international cultural and literary legacy of Marko Marulić (1450-1524), “the father of Croatian literature”.

The exhibition opening, held on 25 October, started with the address by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Croatia in the Swiss Confederation Dr Andrea Bekić, who emphasised Marulić’s significance for European literature and his role as a pioneer in Croatian literature as the author of the first epic written and printed in the Croatian language (Judita, 1521).

The NSK International Cooperation Adviser Jagoda Ille also gave a presentation focusing on Marulić as a widely recognised European humanist and talked about NSK’s cooperation in this context with MARVLIANVM, a Split-based research centre focusing on Marulić’s heritage, and the Croatian Ministry of Culture and Media.

Marulić’s presence in Switzerland

Particularly valuable was a presentation by the Head of the Special Collections Department of the Solothurn Central Library Dr Ian David Holt, who, drawing on his research into the editions of Marulić’s works held by the Solothurn library, provided the present visitors with the insight into the reception with which Marulić’s works met in Switzerland during the 16^th and 17^th centuries, as well as into Marulić’s presence and influence in Switzerland throughout history.

Learn more about the Year od Marko Marulić, Croatia’s national programme marking the 500^th anniversary of Marulić’s death.