Montenegro is next to the other Balkan countries, much of its west borders on the Adriatic Sea. Other than its neighbor Serbia, I have painted pictures of the other countries in the region such as Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece. A history of Montenegro would no doubt fill many volumes, it has undergone many sweeping changes since history was recorded. In the bronze age they were populated by the Illyria, a vast tribal group on even footing with the Romans and Greeks. Over time, the Slavs conquered the region and absorbed the indigenous people to create the foundation of modern day Montenegro. After a long succession of civil wars between rival kingdoms, Montenegro was independent for some time until being incorporated to a kingdom of Yugoslavia, that became a socialist (Italian) state, then part of the soviet-aligned Yugoslavia that mostly dissolved in the early 1990's. After all this, Montenegro was ruled by one person continually until 2023 when it elected a pro-western leader. Speaking of diversity, they have one of the most biodiverse countries in Europe with many different types of biomes. I went with an overhead view of a lily pond showing fronds, flowers and a turtle, with an impressionistic water treatment. I suppose this painting could represent many countries, but I kind of liked how the diverse history and biodiversity was reflected in the lively, almost poetic composition. Of course I had Monet in mind too, he was after all the master of the water lily paintings.
World Inspired Landscapes: Montenegro, watercolour 8 x 10" cold press, April 2024 (No. 3849a)
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