Umjetnost 17. i 18. stoljeća u Dalmaciji

Art of the 17th and 18th Centuries in Dalmatia (1956) is a fundamental and pioneering work in Croatian art historiography. The author, then a young art historian from Split (1922–1998), summarized in it systematic research into the Baroque period on the eastern coast of the Adriatic, which he later expanded in the famous study Baroque in Dalmatia (1982).

The book provides an overview of architecture, sculpture and painting of the 17th and 18th centuries in Dalmatia, from Dubrovnik and Kotor in the south to Zadar and the islands in the north. Prijatelj analyzes the influence of Venice and the Counter-Reformation, but pays special attention to local masters and the specific Dalmatian expression of Baroque – often more modest, functional and adapted to local conditions compared to the lavish Italian Baroque.

In architecture, churches, monasteries, palaces and fortifications after earthquakes and wars are treated, with an emphasis on masters such as Ivan Skoka and other local builders. In sculpture, the work of local stonemasons, altars and sculptures is highlighted, while painting includes Venetian influences, works by local masters and specific cycle paintings and altarpieces.

Prijatelj's approach is scientifically precise, but also lively — it is based on archival research, fieldwork and attributions that have correctly determined many works of art for the first time. The book is equipped with high-quality illustrations (editor Grgo Gamulin, illustrations Ljubo Babić), which at that time was extremely important for a visually rich presentation of the material.

This 1956 edition is considered a key synthesis work that laid the foundations for further research of the Baroque in Dalmatia. Today it is sought after among collectors, art historians and lovers of Dalmatian cultural heritage. It represents essential reading for understanding the period in which Dalmatian art moved between the Venetian metropolis, local tradition, and the new spiritual currents of the Counter-Reformation.