The Bukovac House Cavtat

You have rented one of beautiful apartments, rooms or a vacation houses in Cavtat and you're getting out for a closer encounter with this small, yet enchanting town. One of your first stations would definitely have to be a birth house of the famous Croatian painter Vlaho Bukovac. Why? There are a number of reasons to visit his house. Let's start with a fact that it is a typical house of Cavtat from the end of 18th century. Bukovac`s grandfather bought the house. He was an Italian sailor who found a shelter in Cavtat harbor from the rough sea and stayed there for good. House was upgraded over and over by Vlaho`s father and himself. Thick stone walls are keeping a museum collection, a gallery and a studio today, dedicated to art of painting and fantastic Bukovac`s oeuvre. He was born on July 4, 1855 in Cavtat named Biagio Faggioni, but later changed his name (tal. Faggio = cro. Bukva). He was the most important Croatian painter of his time. He lived in New York, Peru, San Francisco, Paris, Zagreb and Prague, where he died. Although not one of his major works, the most famous is certainly the curtain in the Croatian National Theater, while here in Cavtat you can see Fantasia, his most striking painting and a series of paintings of different styles marked by Bukovac`s extraordinary brush; academy, realism, impressionism, symbolism and modern. The museum is well attended in summer. Beside paintings, here you can find antique furniture from 19th century. The house is opened from 9-13 and 16-20 from Monday till Saturday, whilst in Sunday it can be visited in the afternoon only. The house is open until 17 in the rest of a year. Beside the permanent exhibition, visit the library whose holdings are available to public. Learn how Bukovac enchanted Croatian art and allow him to dazzle you as well, same as Cavtat will dazzle you – the magical harbor for your ships to shelter from rough seas of life.