Museum of Paja Jovanović, Memorial art museum in central Belgrade, Serbia.
The museum displays 211 paintings by Paja Jovanović in a reconstructed Vienna studio environment, including landscapes from his travels, portraits of European aristocrats and merchants, religious compositions, and academic-style nudes. The rooms contain original furniture, personal belongings, and art tools from his estate.
Paja Jovanović began correspondence with Belgrade City Museum officials in 1950 about preserving his artistic heritage. After his death in 1957, the collection remained with his widow until the museum opened in 1970 at the Devanha Palace. A comprehensive restoration occurred in 2009 to protect the paintings and historic interior.
The permanent collection includes depictions of Serbian folk costumes, religious customs, and social ceremonies that reflect late 19th-century academic interest in national identity during Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian rule. Jovanović's works served as visual chronicles for a generation of Serbs seeking cultural autonomy.
The museum occupies the 1930 Devanha Palace in Belgrade's Vračar district, accessible by public transport via several tram lines. Visitors should note limited opening hours and inquire in advance about guided tour availability. Cafés and shops are within walking distance in the surrounding residential neighborhood.
The drawing room reproduces the original oak paneling and Louis XVI decorations from Jovanović's Vienna studio, including a 16th-century Renaissance portal with carved grapevine motifs. His palette knife and easel still stand in their original positions within the artist's working area.
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