F or the past 80 years, Belgraders and their guests have stopped in front of the powerful sculptures that guard the entrance to the Serbian Parliament. For decades these playful horses have been a pic- ture postcard of Belgrade. And I recall the first time I saw them and was fascinated by the sight. I had the fleeting feeling that I was watching a scene of some event from a column of partisans heading to the front to fight; a scene which shows, alongside human strength, the endurance of horses overburdened with their load and expectations. Regardless of the symbolism, these scenes made a strong impression on me. An unexpected relationship be- tween a tamer and an animal. I later read about the actual symbolism, although it is still debat-
VIKTOR KIŠ, ARTIST Black horses at play, and with them great heroes The masterpiece of Toma Rosandić was erected in front of the doors of the Parliament of the then Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1939, and has since unceasingly provoked the admiration of passers-by, including Viktor Kiš, among many
Viktor Kiš umetnik / artist
ed to this day. ‘Black horses at play, and with them great heroes’, is the title of this master- piece by excellent sculptor Toma Rosandić. It is said that there was talk of the work depicting lions instead of horses, which isn’t really an animal specific to this ar- ea, although the fossilised remains of a cave lion were found in the Propas pit near Pirot. e sculpture was mounted on this spot in 1938, and according to the story of Boban Jeremić, who is the son of Miodrag Jeremić, the smelter who cast the sculpture, it represents strength and the man who tames that strength. Symbolically speaking, it is man who controls the power of the state. He worked on the sculpture in his house and workshop in Belgrade, at num- ber 3 Ljube Jovanovića Street, which he later bequeathed to the city.
Fotografije/Photography: Mitar Mitrović
Rhythm of the city » Ritam grada | 63
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