Psychological interest as a basic aspect of Jerolim Miše΄s early Art Work

U ovom radu izdvojit će se te interdisciplinarno i problemski analizirati psihološki aspekt kao jedna od temeljnih sastavnica ranoga umjetničkoga djelovanja Jerolima Miše (1911–1920), uočljiva na raznim područjima umjetničkoga stvaralaštva: slikarskom, likovno-kritičkom i književnom. Njegov interes za ljudsku psihu smješta se u kontekst novoga interesa za duševni život, koji se javlja u europskoj umjetnosti na početku XX. stoljeća. Psihološki se interes u Mišinim likovnim djelima i tekstovima manifestira u vremenu oko Prvoga svjetskoga rata na dva načina, koji ujedno predstavljaju i dva tipa intenzivne ekspresionističke emocionalnosti: kao univerzalna kozmička osjećajnost te kao individualna psihologizacija s naglaskom na afektu i ekstremnim duhovnim stanjima. Nagonski aspekt intenzivnih duhovnih stanja usko je povezan s idejnim kompleksom primitivizma, koji se ovdje promatra kao jedan od poticaja unutar hrvatskoga ekspresionizma. Važnost koju Miše pridaje »primitivnoj sastavnici duše« jasno se odrazila u njegovoj likovnoj kritici te u portretima, u kojima se naslanja na stilske elemente i ikonografiju slikarstva ikona prepoznavajući njihovu duhovnu dimenziju, što se pokazuje kao osobito aktualno u razdoblju oko ujedinjenja južnih Slavena u zajedničku državu 1918. godine.This article discusses and analyses in an interdisciplinary way the psychological interest as one of the basic aspects of Jerolim Miše’s early art work (1911–1920), visible in many areas of his artistic activity: painting, print and book design, art criticism and literature. In the early 20th century art the psychological feature developed as a reflection of a new interest in the soul and the inner life that emerged under the influence of Nietzsche’s philosophy, the psychological research of Carl Gustav Jung, and specifically through the work of Sigmund Freud. The psychological element is visible in two ways in Miše’s work, which correspond to two types of intensive Expressionist sensibility. The first is a general vitalist cosmic sensibility which is best reflected in Miše’s symbolist-secessionist compositions in oil, graphic-design, poems (Poems of Solitude) and his art criticism. The second individual psychological paradigm expressed in the interest in the more extreme emotional states is best visible in Miše’s portraits, art criticism and the novel Eclipse. Miše developed the two types of portraits: individual and generic. However, the most intense, deep and intimate introspection Miše achieved in his self portraits. The extreme closeness of cadre and a truly aggressive gaze directed to the viewer, result in direct communication of intensive and unpleasant emotions, typical of the Expressionist movement. The Expressionist introspection and intense spiritual experiences are closely related to what was perceived, as the primitive features of the spirit. The article addresses the importance of this primitivistic aspect in Modernism and Expressionism. This primitivistic aspect – relevant for Miše’s art criticism, was most evident in the Portrait of Ivo Tartaglia. Intuitively recognizing a spiritual dimension of eastern orthodox icons, Miše used a number of Byzantine art elements, such as its flawless symmetrical frontality of displayed character, the intense gaze directed to the observer and radiant yellow background that looks like gold, and the circular light-yellow brush strokes creating the halo around the head. In this way the primitivistic aspect, a feature already recognized as one of the vital impulses of Croatian Expressionist literature, in this article is revealed and discussed as one of the impulses of Croatian Expressionist visual arts