Jaksic Stonemasonry
Workshop and Gallery

Judith Sculpture – a Monumental Work by Lovre Jakšić in White Brač Stone

- among the many public sculptures created by academic sculptor Lovre Jakšić, a particularly prominent place belongs to the monumental sculpture of Judith, erected in the courtyard of Marko Marulić High School in Split to mark the 500th anniversary of the printing of Marulić’s Judita in Venice in 1521. This large-scale sculpture (210 cm), carved from a single block of white Brač stone, is made in a modern style with classical elements and represents the artist’s personal interpretation of one of the most important literary symbols of the Croatian Renaissance. Judith, as a biblical heroine and a symbol of courage, faith, and patriotism, takes on the role of an idealised woman in Marulić’s epic. As there is no specific physical description of her, Lovre Jakšić approaches the theme freely – intuitively and emotionally – shaping the female figure from his own artistic vision. This approach lends the sculpture a sense of mystery and surrealism. The monumental sculpture in white Brač stone presents a female figure with refined lines, her face partially veiled by hair, emphasising her introspective character. The stone surface carefully balances between smoothly polished planes and rough, rustic textures, creating a compelling contrast between the natural and the artistically shaped material. The sculpture of Judith does not function only as a visual object, but as a public sculpture and a lasting monument to literature. Positioned in a public space – the school courtyard named after Marko Marulić – the sculpture becomes a spatial landmark with a strong artistic presence. Its monumentality, sculptural quality and symbolic location make it one of the most significant recent achievements in Croatian public sculpture.