The self-portrait of Božidar-Boža Prodanović from 1948  

Back in 1977, Božidar Prodanović – a painter, a graphic artist and an age-long professor at the Fine Arts Academy, gave his 82 works of art as present to our municipality, with a wish for Gornji Milanovac to get its own art gallery, which would be used as a gathering place for young talented artists. His legacy – oil on canvas and tempera paintings, graphic works, water-colour paintings, and drawings – was long kept in the Cultural centre and the local town hall. In 1999, the complete collection of works of art was handed to the Museum of Rudnik and Takovo Region so as to be restored and properly conserved. In addition to that, the Museum has the hold of Boža Prodanović’s 13 works of art donated on the occasion of founding Second Serbian Uprising Museum in Takovo, whereas the Museum’s library keeps his “Zapisi” and essays on art, as well as books and catalogues related to his work. The legacy became “richer” in 2007 when the painter’s son Mileta Prodanović donated his father’s art kit.

“The Self-portrait” of Boža Prodanović is one of his earliest paintings, and it was made in the period of time before his realistic concept was substituted by lyrical expressionism. Owing to this painting, one can notice how this exquisite artist, born in Pranjani in 1923 (and died in Belgrade in 2007), saw and painted himself at the beginning of his career.