The Mijo Šiša Collection

Mijo Šiša Konavljanin* (1946 – 2017) was the only self-taught Konavle folk painter. Though he is often referred to as a naïve painter, he realistically recorded traditional life in his paintings and drawings, and is considered by most authorities to be a folk painter. Mijo Šiša’s work depicts the traditional life that he witnessed as a young man. He painted many aspects of Konavle peasant life — agricultural and domestic work, house interiors, tools, social and religious gatherings, leisure.

Old Love, 1987

Mr. Šiša’s veneration of his ancestors and their way of life was passed on to his children, Mihajlo, Božo and Marijana, who today take care of his collection. In their house, the paintings, drawings and sculptures of their father have been preserved, as well as many household items used by their ancestors. From this, the Ethnographic Collection of Mijo Šiša Konavljanin has been created.

In the collection are many interesting items from Mijo Šiša’s ancestors. From great-grandfather Miho Šiša (1847 – 1910) come two rare examples of flutes, called svrdonica. These were made from the leg bones of eagles, which were extinct in Konavle by the beginning of the 20th century. All examples of such flutes from Konavle have etched decorations on them and are of great value, as only ten of them are known today.

The pokrivača – a fine silk veil richly decorated with silk embroidery and lace — was worn until the second half of the 19th century. It is part of a married woman’s headpiece called hondelj. Among other useful items of that time are tobacco and gunpowder pouches made of leather and bone, as well as various metal utensils and household stone implements. 

Portrait of unknown girl, 1974

Marko Šiša (1887 – 1949), son of Miho, went to America and worked in the mines. After 12 years (around 1910 to 1922), he returned to Konavle bringing with him numerous items: books, a wind-up gramophone, many 78-rpm records, mining lamps, smoking pipes, folding glasses, fans, playing cards, photographs, a camera and other things that he used in the New World.

Of these, the photographs and gramophone records attract the most attention. Among the records is a recording of Emilio Blažević (1879 – 1962), a Croatian baritone who emigrated to America and recorded musical material for emigrants. One of his recording is of Lijepa naša, the Croatian national anthem. The record is still playable on this gramophone, and would be the envy of any cultural or historical collection in Croatia.

Miho Šiša (1911 – 1998), son of Marko and father of our great artist, was a talented and skilled craftsman himself. He has left a large number of household objects, as well as many of the tools he used in everyday life. He built the most beautiful gusle in Konavle, on which he carved on the neck a depiction of his house and embedded his photo next to it. From this generation many of the tools, textiles and even costumes remain. The paintings that Miho made as a boy are also preserved in the house, where one can already see the great talent that Mijo inherited.

Field work, 1989

Mijo Šiša (1946 – 2017), an artist of the 20th century, together with his family, has carefully preserved the memories of his ancestors. However, some items did not survive the Homeland War, which in Konavle lasted from 1991 to 1992. Numerous grenades were fired at and around the house, and all the ancient weapons, of which there were many, and numerous other items, were taken from the house by the departing army.

After the Homeland War, the family returned to their everyday life, and the Mijo Šiša gallery, which was located in the Šiša household complex, was reopened for visitors. After the death of Mijo Šiša in 2017 the gallery was closed to the public, and the collections were not being maintained. In 2023, in cooperation with Friends of Konavle Heritage (a nonprofit organization), work began on restoring and curating the collection in order to open this large and valuable treasure to the public as soon as possible.

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* Mijo Šiša’s art name (pseudonym) is Mijo Šiša Konavljanin. “Konavljanin” means “man of Konavle”.