In 1484, the beautiful Stoat decided to charge the best painter of Florence, and probably the world, with a portrait. A penguin of aristocratic origin is pleased to be painted as the proud renaissance animal showing all its power. But, in reality, who was that person? Had he coincided in the painter’s study with Federico de Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino? In the self portrait of the Lion, may we deduce that Durero was his master? A game between fantasy and reality, an exceptional gallery where the animals take on the leading role, up to now, unknown in art.

Opening windows on art, sharing pleasure in painting, challenging a classical portrait… are the aims OQO brings closer to the world of art in the first issue of its new collection OQart.

The great book of animal portraits was conceived by Svjetian Junakovic and OQO to give documentary proof that, throughout history, animals, in their best dress, posed for the most famous portrait painters.

Svjetlan Junakovic made the selection responding to theoretical and practical requirements of the era (norms of animal beauty, social customs, and construction condition of the image in the space…), and with a ludic and suggestive proposal, advises us that any resemblance to any of the most famous portraits of the human type will be quite by chance…

But in the elusive, impenetrable countenance of Stoat, don’t we recognize the Dama… by Leonardo? What is hidden behind the crime of the chicken in the bath? Who is the letter addressed to? Does this animal have anything to do with the revolutionary Marat, killed under similar circumstances? Death and beauty in the same tunic of enigma and mystery…

These and other questions, never completely resolved, shall rouse the curiosity in the observer, in an exceptional gallery unknown to the world of art. It’s enough to know that one day they existed…

BOLOGNA RAGAZZI AWARD 2008 SPECIAL MENTION

1ST PRIZE FOR THE BEST EDITED INFANT AND JUVENILE BOOK 2007

MINISTRY OF CULTURE (SPAIN)

DIPLOMA AWARD FOR VISUAL BOOK DESIGN 2007

ANDERSEN PRIZE 2008 - IL MONDO DELL’INFANZIA

Text and illustrations by Svjetlan Junakovic

Translation by Mark W. Heslop