Modernity in the Life and Work of Jelisaveta Načić

Abstract

The focus of this paper is the modern subjectivity and the modern attitude towards the world of Jelisaveta Načić (1878–1955), the first woman architect educated in Serbia, on which she builds her existence and individuality in the society of 19^th-century Serbia. At that time, Serbia was just beginning to modernize and, under the pressure of that time, change the existing values. In turbulent times exemplified by the changes of rulers, dynasties, ideologies, the state, the patriarchal society and the stereotypes of relations between the sexes, the self-awareness of the creative potentials and the personal and professional experience of Jelisaveta Načić were not common among women. Free from numerous frameworks traditionally imposed on women, she stepped into the world of "people" in which she established herself as an active creator of buildings that earned her a place in the history of architecture.

Another focal point of this paper is the consideration of the reactions of professional circles, the public and the Serbian press to the life and work of Jelisaveta Načić. The paper is supported by photographs of some of her numerous architectural achievements. This confirms the thesis that architectural works can be read as narratives because they have the capacity to transpose tradition into other epochs – they can provide inspiration while testifying to the time of their creation, social movements and the time that followed, and also stand as testimonies of their creators.