Title: Barkajol
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 150 x 100 cm (unframed, stretched on wooden bars)
Year: 2024

Description:
Barkajol is a large-format oil painting that captures a timeless moment in the harbor of Zadar, a historic coastal city in Croatia. The scene depicts the traditional boatman – known locally as “barkajol” – ferrying people across the calm waters as the sun sets behind the silhouettes of the old lighthouse and distant islands.

The painting is inspired by Zadar’s maritime spirit – a place where the sea, light, and people intertwine in a unique rhythm. Real-life barkajoli at dusk performing a practice that has endured for generations. Their presence and quiet dignity, set against the golden light of the Adriatic, moved me deeply.

Rendered with expressive yet controlled brushwork, the painting emphasizes contrasts between warm and cool tones, light and shadow, movement and stillness. My intention was not only to document a scene, but to evoke the atmosphere and emotional resonance of a coastal ritual that speaks of connection, passage, and memory.

Barkajol was part of my first solo exhibition and holds a special place in my artistic journey. It bridges traditional Mediterranean life with my own exploration of realism and contemporary figurative art.

Perfect for collectors who appreciate seascapes, cultural storytelling, and large emotional compositions rooted in place and identity.

For more information and order please send me a e-mail.