Zbirka zavjetnih slika brodova iz kapele navještenja Blažene Djevice Marije, Čikat
Naziv
Zbirka zavjetnih slika brodova iz kapele navještenja Blažene Djevice Marije, Čikat Collezione di dipinti votivi di navi dalla Cappella dell'Annunciazione della Beata Vergine Maria, Čikat Collection of votive paintings of ships from the Chapel of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Čikat
The collection of votive paintings of ships from the Chapel of the Annunciation in Čikat near Mali Lošinj includes 48 paintings, mostly made in the second half of the 19th century, depicting vessels in great trials at sea, of which 26 in watercolour on paper, 20 in oil on canvas, 1 in tempera technique, and 1 wooden model under glass. The paintings are signed and dated. The Čikat collection of votive paintings is valuable material for the study of our culture and maritime history.
Opis
The various maritime customs, beliefs and vows of seafarers is a tradition that has lasted for thousands of years on almost all the world's seas. In pre-Christian times, sailors believed in mythological beings and sought protection from them, while after the acceptance of Christianity, many sailors made vows to saints, primarily St. Nicholas and the heavenly protector the Mother of God. The tradition of this vow was especially pronounced in the Mediterranean. As a consequence, there are many shrines, votive chapels and churches. One of the most important votive churches of sailors in the northern Adriatic is the Chapel of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Annunziata on the island of Lošinj, in the bay Čikat, a few kilometers from the centre of Mali Lošinj. It can be reached by a promenade along the sea through the pine forest or a means of transport. The Čikat Bay is a place where in the past many wives and mothers from Lošinj sent their husbands and sons to the sea. In memory of this, in 1858 a church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built here, on the site of an old chapel from the first half of the 16th century. When embarking on the voyage, the sailors greeted those gathered on Čikat with the ship’s horn, and after surviving accidents and troubles at sea, they brought various gifts to the chapel, such as paintings, models of sailing ships and the like. During the World War II and immediately after the war, the collection of paintings, which numbered eighty works, was devastated, but today, thanks to donations, it has been enriched with thirty paintings by Cesar Stefani Steffico, thirty old original votive paintings and several models of ships and smaller exhibits. This chapel is still a place of pilgrimage for many sailors and other sea admirers.