expense of the conductor. But as soon as the music starts again, they continue their merry conversations.” When it comes to Madrid’s plazas, An- drić wrote in his notebook that one stands out for its special beauty. This was the Plaza de la Lealtad (Loyalty Square), a semi-circular square of rich vegetation and deep greenery, bor- dered by the opulent buildings of the Stock Exchange and the Hotel Ritz. As he wrote on the pages of his worn notebook, the Plaza de la Lealtad, “in its position and appearance, ranks among the most beautiful that I’ve seen while walking around the world. I’ve only seen similar squares in Paris and Krakow.” At the heart of this plaza stands the Monument to the Fallen for Spain, which honours the people of Madrid who died on 2 nd and 3 rd May 1808, in a key uprising that led to Spain’s inde- pendence from France. It was precise- ly the themes of this historical event that inspired famous Spanish paint- er Francisco Goya to paint one of his most famous works, which might eas- ily prompt a casual passerby or an in- tentional visitor to wonder if that’s why this square became dear to An- drić. What kind of connection even ex- ists between our celebrated writer and that Spanish painter? Museum encounters The Spanish capital today attracts mu- seum lovers from all over the world, thanks mostly to its famous golden triangle of three museums: the Pra- do, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia. Their collections, occupy- ing the luxurious and richly green Pa-
BRIDGING THE BALKANS AND THE MEDITERRANEAN Tracing Andrić’s footsteps through the city revealed to him by Goya The Cervantes Institute in Belgrade’s new exhibition reveals what life in Madrid was like for Yugoslavia’s only Nobel laureate I t isn’t difficult to imagine An-
noise surrounding them. In his trave- logue “Spanish reality and first steps in it”, which he published in daily newspa- per Politika, Andrić noted: “The Span- ish love music and are crazy about it, but their vivacity doesn’t let them lis- ten calmly, rather they must participate in it. They actually need music in order to be able to talk. In Madrid cinemas, as soon as the music stops playing, the laughing and chatting audience (a Span- iard is never alone!) immediately begins stamping their feet impatiently and shouting “Música! Maestro! Música!”, making loud and witty remarks at the
drić strolling the streets of Ma- drid, a small notebook in hand, occasionally jotting down some impression or detail that caught his attention from the hustle and bustle of daily Spanish life. Yugoslavia’s only Nobel laureate, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature, Ivo Andrić was a prominent novelist and storyteller, but he also had a significant diplomatic career that included serv- ing in several European cities, includ- ing Madrid. It was actually in Spain that Andrić came across a theme that would forever mark his work: combining the real and the imaginary, merging dai- ly life with myth. His workplace wasn’t far from the National Library of Spain and the Retiro Park, at number 27 in the street named after famous painter Velázquez. A Spaniard is never alone Much more than Madrid’s royal façade, Andrić was interested in exploring the ordinary, everyday charm of the Span- ish capital, the habits of its inhabitants, visiting the cinema, walking its parks and squares, observing people and the
Francisko Goja, 3. maj 1808. godine Francisco Goya, The 3 rd of May 1808
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