Ikonična slika Naste Rojc Autoportret u lovačkom odijelu iz 1912. je više puta u poslednje dve decenije bila proglašavana za njen „životni manifesto“ od strane istraživača/ica. Autorke i autori su naglašavali njene performativne, rodno fluidne autoportrete, i povlačili veze između drugih isto tako retkih umetnica tog vremena koje su izražavale ne-heteronormativne identitete kroz umetnost. Prema mojim saznanjima, sem Leonide Kovač, niko od njih do sada nije primenio metode studija vizuelne kulture u analizi ove slike. Vizuelna kultura može da ponudi nove interpretacije i dopuni rodne i feminističke diskusije kroz razmatranje popularne slike lovaca tog vremena. Ova saznanja mogu samo da potvrde uverenje da je ova slika snažan i transgresivan umetnički statement u kontekstu hrvatske umetnosti i umetnosti jugoslovenskog prostora u celini početkom 20. veka.One of the iconic paintings of Croatian artist Nasta Rojc (1883–1964), Autoportret u lovačkom odijelu [Self-portrait in a hunting suit] from 1912, has been praised by researchers in the past two decades as her “life manifesto”. Researchers have argued that her self-portraits are performative and gender fluid, and made connections with the other rare few artists of the time who communicated non-heteronormative identities. As far as I know, except for Leonida Kovač, none of them utilized a visual culture approach in analysing this painting. Visual culture studies can offer new interpretations and expand on the gender and feminist discussions by taking into consideration the image of the hunters that was popular at the time. These findings can only support the claim that the painting is a strong and transgressive artistic statement in Croatia and the Balkans at the beginning of the XX century. The introductory part of the paper describes the painting and draw correlations between the artwork and Rojc’s photographs and unpublished biography. Though undeniably performative, her self-portrait is an expression of her hobby, rather than an invented identity. This is followed by a short discussion on the popular image of hunters in the Germanic world, which takes into considerations postcards, genre paintings and portraits. This image is definitely patriarchal and masculine, and creates a backdrop for the subsequent discussion about women hunters or huntresses. Based on a couple of archival photographs from Croatia and popular postcards, women were presented as hunters, but their traditional image is either as supporters of men or part of the hunt as a love interest. There is also a brief note on huntresses in Croatia today. Going back to the title painting, I conclude that Nasta Rojc’s self-portrait is original and transgressive because she inserted a non-heteronormative subject into a conventional and traditional art historical scene, as her “life manifesto.
