Friday, August 29, 2025, at 7 PM
The exhibition will remain open until September 17, 2025
The Croatian Museum of Tourism will proudly host, for the first time, an exhibition from the Belgian Comic Strip Center, organized in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in the Republic of Croatia. The exhibition continues the series dedicated to Belgian comics – the ninth art – and, through impressive illustrations, explores the richness of this art form and its most prominent representatives.
The Belgian Comic Strip Center is housed in an Art Nouveau building in the heart of Brussels, designed in 1906 by Victor Horta. The museum opened in October 1989 and collects and preserves everything related to European comics – from their beginnings to the present day.
The exhibition highlights two distinctive Belgian art forms: the long tradition of Belgian comics and the cradle of Art Nouveau. The term Art Nouveau itself spread from Belgium, and the strong link between Belgium and comics is evident in the fact that more than 700 comic artists work in the country.
Traveling through the belle époque period, the exhibition captures the spirit of an era marked by great discoveries, the development of cinematography, the rise of department stores, and the emergence of new artistic expressions. Art Nouveau, as a symbol of this golden age, reflects a passion for innovation, inspiration from nature, and ingenuity. Artists from Brussels and Paris to Vienna and Prague created masterpieces recognizable for their elegant curves, arabesques, stylized motifs, and modern materials such as iron, concrete, and glass. Great names like Victor Horta, Alphonse Mucha, and Gustav Klimt have become protagonists of comic albums celebrating their art and the worlds they created. This exhibition presents the dynamic dialogue between the art of that time and the ninth art, which continues to inspire generations of artists to this day. Art Nouveau portrays the dynamism of an era and a multifaceted artistic expression, which in turn inspired many generations of comic artists.
Twenty-five panels will showcase the mutual influence between Art Nouveau and comics. Featured authors include: François Schuiten, Yongui Dumont, Agnès Maupré, Marc-Renier, Jean-Luc Cornette, Alexis Chabert, Philippe Pelaez, Olivier Bleys, Winsor McCay, Alex Alice, Alexis Horellou, and Delphine Le Lay.
The exhibition is organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in the Republic of Croatia with the support of Wallonie-Bruxelles International and the Belgian company Callebaut, the world’s leading producer of renowned high-quality Belgian chocolate.
Opening hours: 10 AM – 1 PM and 4 PM – 7 PM
Closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Lecture
Belgian Comics and Trends in Fine Arts
Dr. Frano Dulibić, Full Professor
📅 Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 7 PM
📍 Croatian Museum of Tourism
The lecture is intended for both audiences unfamiliar with the history of comics and those who are passionate about the medium. The introduction will cover the beginnings of comics worldwide and the influence of early pioneers on key figures in the Belgian scene. Belgian comics and their distinctive characteristics will be analyzed, considering numerous connections to the French comic scene and their global context. The second part of the lecture will focus on the relationship between comics and various artistic trends of the 20th century. It will discuss the contributions of the most significant Belgian authors – about ten of them – who popularized this form of expression and left an impact not only on the Belgian scene but also on the global stage.
Dr. Frano Dulibić is a full professor at the Department of Art History, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, where he has worked since 1993. His research focuses on Croatian painting of the first half of the 20th century, the history of caricature, illustration, comics, animated film, and public monuments. He has published scholarly and professional papers and books, participated in conferences, and curated exhibitions.