Archaeology
Excavations on the outskirts of Skopje have revealed Neolithic sites as well as Roman necropolises. 2 km from the capital, in the Vardar valley, the Neolithic village of Tumba Madžari houses reconstructions of Neolithic houses and a place of worship. Superb remains were unearthed following the 1963 earthquake. The idols, including an extraordinary terracotta mother goddess, are now housed in the Skopje City Museum. This not-to-be-missed venue houses departments devoted to prehistory, antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Religious tradition
The foundations of Macedonian pictorial expression are rooted in the medieval tradition of icon painting and religious frescoes. It is heir to the codes of Byzantine art developed between the 4th and 15th centuries. This style is characterized by two-dimensional representation, with little regard for depth or naturalism. This tendency towards abstraction evokes a universal message. The religious vocation takes precedence over realism.
From the 12th century onwards, the style takes a more expressive and original turn. The first attempts to represent nature appeared, similar to those that Giotto would paint in the following century. The Ottoman occupation was a major artistic interlude. The art of the zographes (fresco and icon painters) continued until the fall of the Ottoman Empire (first half of the 20th century). The works of the last two zographers, Dimitrie Andonov Papradiški, the territory's first lay painter, and Gjorgi Zografski, bear witness to the evolution of this genre over the centuries. The Skopje City Museum houses Orthodox icons from national churches and monasteries, as well as Byzantine artifacts.
Examples of Byzantine art
We recommend admiring the Byzantine art ofSt. Panteleimon's Church in Nerezi, on the slopes of Mount Vodno. An inscription on the lintel dates its completion to 1164. Out of respect for his mystical mission, the painter behind the altar frescoes remains anonymous. However, his talent made him known as the "Painter of Nerezi". We can admire a rare depiction of prelates in adoration before the Hetimasia (an empty throne awaiting the return of Christ). There's also a rare scene of Christ captured after Judas' betrayal. Dozens of individualized saints and a portrait of St. Panteleimon with exquisitely delicate features provoke admiration. Another place to visit is the monastery of Marko, whose Church of St. Demetrios is entirely covered with frescoes dating from 1376-1377. While the Byzantine model is evident, the events of the Passion are creatively depicted. The five royal icons, dated 1400, have been moved to the Museum of Northern Macedonia. Their translucent halos are strikingly beautiful. In the iconostasis, a cross sculpted by the Pek group has been set between doors carved on the theme of the Annunciation. TheChurch of St. Andrew in Matka features a fresco painted in 1389, the year of its foundation.
Modern art
The beginnings of secular art can be seen in the 20th century. They responded to economic and social changes, particularly urbanization. In the 1930s, the works of Lazar Ličenovski, Nikola Martinovski, Dimitar Pandilov and Vangel Kodžoman marked an artistic turning point. In the 1950s, the great opportunity for Slavo-Macedonian (and Yugoslav) artists was Tito's refusal to join the Soviet bloc. As a result, they escaped the obligation to respect the canons of socialist realism and were able to circulate outside the country (relatively) easily, leading to numerous exchanges with foreign currents and painters. After the Second World War and the Informbiro revolution in 1948, the main subject of his works was the war of liberation. Pavlovski (1939-2023) established himself as the master of Macedonian academic painting. Trained in Belgrade, Budapest, Moscow and Paris, he pursued an award-winning career until his death.
Sculpture
The tradition of woodcarving is closely linked to religious art. For centuries, many iconostases were carved from wooden panels. Then, around the 17th and 18th centuries, sculpture made its way into middle-class homes, where carved wooden elements adorned ceilings and walls, as can be seen on the top floor of the Ohrid National Museum-Robev House. Over the centuries, artists' work became increasingly refined. It reached its apogee in the 19th century, in the works of the Petre brothers, Marko Filipovski and Makarie Frčkovski, who masterfully integrated a host of characters into tangles of vegetation. Their masterpiece was the iconostasis in the chapel of the St. John Bigorski monastery. Today, this tradition of woodcarving is fading. In its decorative and monumental versions, however, sculpture flourished after the disappearance of Yugoslavia. Like the monuments in the Skopje 2014 project, these are often realistic representations of historical figures. The sculptor Dimo Todorovski (1910-1983) created portraits and public monuments all over Macedonia. In Prilep, you can admire his Oro, depicting the country's traditional dance.
Alongside this official sculpture, contemporary art explores new horizons. Discover it in Skopje's museums, such as the Museum of Contemporary Art of Skopje, the Museum of the City of Skopje or the galleries of Hammam Davud-Pacha-National Gallery and Hammam Čifte, with its sculpture garden.
Contemporary art
In the 1960s and 1970s, national art followed European trends. The 1980s saw the emergence of a generation of artists who made their way onto the international scene. While painting exhibitions are popular social events in Skopje, the country struggles to nurture an art market worthy of the name. Every year, however, around 50 graduates from the Academy of Fine Arts. Even if most painters rely on foreign galleries, the country is building up a number of high-quality specialized venues. The Skopje Museum of Contemporary Art brings together national and international talents such as Soulages and Alechinksy.
