Art as propaganda: Ivan Meštrović, conflicting parallel cultural policies and the Great War

U radu se analiziraju paralelne kulturne politike Jugoslavenskog odbora, odnosno Ivana Meštrovića u Velikoj Britaniji (1915. – 1918.), i pokušaji da se u Hrvatskoj tijekom trajanja Velikog rata mobilizira osobito civilno stanovništvo pomoću propagandnih ratnih izložbi. Pritom se objašnjava geneza raskola među umjetničkim krugovima i ideološka matrica onih koji su pristajali uz kulturno jugoslavenstvo, odnosno onih koji su pokušavali djelovati u sklopu Glavnog stana ratne štampe kao središnjeg mjesta okupljanja intelektualaca i umjetnika iz čitave Habsburške Monarhije.Tis article is based on comparative history and cultural and intellectualhistory. It includes an analysis of the existing reference domestic and foreignliterature, newspaper sources and archival sources of various kinds. Te paperanalyses the parallel cultural policies of Ivan Meštrović in Great Britain (1915-1918) within the Yugoslav Committee on the one hand and attempts to mobilizethe civilian population in Croatia during the Great War through propagandawar exhibitions. Te process explains the genesis of the split between artisticcircles and the hostility between the regime’s representatives (I. Kršnjavi). Italso explains the ideological matrix of those who were supporters of culturalYugoslavism. Terefore, the paper’s introduction describes the situation from1911 when a group of Croatian artists exhibited under the Serbian pavilionin Rome and a counter-exhibition organized in Zagreb. It also shows how thepropaganda use of culture and art gradually led to theses reversals or subsequentideological deepening of works of art. Tis was especially clear in the case ofMeštrović’s cultural tour of Great Britain, where he staged exhibitions in severallarge cities. We describe the activities of Croatian artists (O. Alexander, O.Iveković and R. Frangeš-Mihanović) within the Main Headquarters of the WarPress as a central gathering place for intellectuals and artists from the entireHabsburg Monarchy. We also point out the propaganda strategy of that officeas a form of cultural policy during the war. Te failed initiatives and scandalshandled by the Department of Religious Affairs and Education are also viewedas a place to create the cultural policy of the Government of Land. Te paperpresents different reactions, achievements, goals and attempts to assess thesuccess of propaganda art events during the Great War. It also points out variouscontroversies or personal conflicts that ensued from the atmosphere of the lastwar year