Sculpture: ‘The Seagull’

At the far end of the breakwater on the south side of Jelsa harbour stands a sculpture of a seagull, which is the work of Professor Josip Grgevčić from Jelsa, academic sculptor, restorer and and long-standing lecturer in Fine Arts at the Faculty of Education in Čakovec. His bronze sculpture, which he titled “Seagull with Prey”, is two times two metres in size, making it a prominent decorative feature which embellishes the Jelsa breakwater.

The Seagull is a symbol of the seascape, a true wanderer, loyal follower of fishermen and one of the most frequently seen birds gracing our sea.

Professor Josip Grgevčić lived with this family in Varaždin for over five decades, devoting his time to sculpture, restorations and teaching at the Čakovec Faculty of Education, which is an offshoot of Zagreb University. His original works are wide-ranging, encompassing portraits, nudes, themes relating to the sea (such as seagulls, stingrays, oarsmen, sails and waves) and to land fauna (cockerels, pigeons, turtle-doves, and swallows), besides sacral subjects. The overall scope of his activities earned him appreciation both at home and abroad, and in 2015 he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievements Award from both Varaždin and Jelsa.

Born in Jelsa on August 26th 1938, Josip Grgevčić died in Varaždin on June 27th 2020.