Well of Life: Ivan Meštrović's bronze masterpiece in Zagreb
The Well of Life (Zdenac života) is a bronze sculpture by the Croatian sculptor and architect Ivan Meštrović, standing in front of the Croatian National Theatre on Republic of Croatia Square in Zagreb. It shows people at every stage of life gathered around a well, a symbol of youth and eternal beauty. It is an easy, free-standing stop among Zagreb's less obvious monuments.
Ten life-size nude figures crouch and twist around a well, gazing at their own reflections. In 1912 Zagreb placed them in a walled recess so that conservative passers-by would not be shocked.
The history of the Well of Life
Ivan Meštrović was one of the best-known Croatian sculptors and architects of the 20th century. He made the Well of Life in 1905, when he was still young, and the work is regarded as his first masterpiece. In the spring of 1906 it was given a central place in the main hall of the Vienna Secession exhibition.
The sculpture is circular. Ten life-size nude figures, among them a child, a loving couple and an old man, crouch and twist their bodies around a well filled with water. Their faces are strongly expressive and they seem frozen in mid-movement, watching their own reflections in the water. The idea behind the composition is a lasting thirst for life: the young couples embrace and kiss, while the old man at the end of life looks into the well with grief. Together they show the natural human cycle from birth to death.
The surfaces are smooth and rounded, with no sharp edges or regular geometric shapes, apart from the plain cylinder of the well that calms the composition. The dark bronze contrasts with the whiteness of the rock it stands on, and the shifts between light and shade are soft. The influence of Auguste Rodin can be felt in the way the bodies are treated.
In 1909 the work was shown in the artist's own gallery at Ilica 12 in Zagreb. Meštrović had actually hoped that the Well of Life would be placed in Split, and he said so clearly in his correspondence with Ante Trumbić. Instead, in 1912 the sculpture was bought by Izidor Kršnjavi, then a leading figure in Croatian cultural life, and installed on the square in front of the theatre, as an urban intervention by Ignjat Fischer. It was set in a recess surrounded by walls so that the naked bodies would not cause astonishment or critical comments among the conservative public of the time. It still stands in front of the Croatian National Theatre today.
Curiosities about the Well of Life
- The work is also known as At the Well of Life or the Fountain of Life.
- It was first shown at the Vienna Secession in 1906, a year after it was made, in the main exhibition hall.
- Meštrović wanted the sculpture to go to Split, but it was bought for Zagreb in 1912.
- When it was installed, the figures were placed in a walled recess so that the nudes would not shock the conservative public.
- The art historian Ljiljana Čerina called Meštrović a “rodinist among secessionists” because of the Rodin-like surface of the bodies in this work.
- The figures look at their reflections in the water, and the old man seems to gaze into it with sorrow.
Tours near Well of Life
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting the Well of Life
- The sculpture stands in the open air on Republic of Croatia Square, directly in front of the Croatian National Theatre.
- Walk around the circle to read the story from birth to old age: the child, the embracing couples and the old man who looks into the well.
- Look at how the dark bronze contrasts with the pale rock beneath the figures.
- Lotrščak Tower and the Stone Gate are about 1 km away, Kockica about 2 km and Mirogoj Cemetery about 3 km, so the Well of Life fits into a longer walk through central Zagreb.
- The sources do not mention any special arrangements for visiting, so check locally whether any works are under way.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Well of Life is
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Photos of Well of Life
Questions
Where is the Well of Life in Zagreb?
It stands on Republic of Croatia Square, directly in front of the Croatian National Theatre.
Who made the Well of Life?
It is the work of the Croatian sculptor and architect Ivan Meštrović, who made it in 1905.
What does the Well of Life depict?
It depicts ten nude figures, including a child, a loving couple and an old man, around a well that symbolises life, youth and the source of eternal beauty.
Why was the Well of Life placed in a walled recess?
When it was installed in 1912, it was set in a walled recess so that the nude bodies would not astonish or provoke the conservative public of Zagreb.
Did Meštrović want the Well of Life in Zagreb?
Not originally. In his letters to Ante Trumbić he clearly said he wanted it placed in Split.
What is the Well of Life made of?
It is made of bronze, which contrasts with the white rock on which it is placed.
Also nearby
Lotrščak Tower
Zagreb · medieval tower, thieves' bell and daily noon cannon
550 m away
Stone Gate
Zagreb · last medieval gate and a candlelit shrine to Mary
750 m away
Kockica
Zagreb · 1968 modernist cube with rich interior art
2 km away
Mirogoj Cemetery
Zagreb · arcades, domes and the 'Croatian Pantheon'
3 km away