The National Museum Zadar presents the exhibition Anatomy of Smoke – A Retrospective of a Habit, one of the museum's most ambitious projects in recent years, developed through the collaboration of the National Museum Zadar, collector Dario Marenić, and external collaborators. The exhibition is based on a selection of objects from the Marenić Collection, one of the most significant and comprehensive private collections in Croatia.
Over the course of more than two decades, the collection's owner, collector Dario Marenić, has systematically assembled more than 10,000 works of art, historical objects, and rare collectibles, organised into 21 thematic collections. The collection includes paintings, sculptures, prints, advertising posters, photographs, postcards, books, everyday objects, and numerous other artefacts that document the development of art, design, and visual culture over several centuries.
The exhibition takes visitors on a fascinating journey through more than five centuries of tobacco history—from the sacred rituals of pre-Columbian America, where smoke held spiritual and ceremonial significance, through the royal courts and bourgeois salons of Europe, to the modern era, in which marketing and popular culture transformed tobacco into one of the defining habits of contemporary society.
Through art, design, advertising graphics, film, and remarkable historical objects, the exhibition reveals how tobacco evolved from a ritual symbol into a global commodity, and how artists, the film industry, and advertising contributed to creating its glamorous image. A special section is devoted to public relations pioneer Edward Bernays and his famous Torches of Freedom campaign, which turned the cigarette into a symbol of emancipation, style, and social prestige—a myth further reinforced by Hollywood through film stars and popular culture.
The exhibition features valuable artworks, prints, advertising posters, photographs, pipes, lighters, cigarette cases, and other rare objects, including works associated with some of the greatest names in world art, such as Pablo Picasso, Paul Cézanne, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, and Keith Haring, alongside works by numerous Croatian and international artists.
Yet Anatomy of Smoke is not an exhibition about smoking. Rather, it is an exploration of how art, propaganda, psychology, and the marketplace have shaped our habits, identities, and perceptions of freedom over decades. At the same time, it examines how these mechanisms continue to evolve in contemporary society—from electronic cigarettes to digital marketing and new forms of visual communication—culminating in a clear message about the harmful effects of smoking and the importance of critically reflecting on the influence of advertising in everyday life.
"The National Museum Zadar continuously strives to present exhibition projects that offer new perspectives on cultural heritage and visual culture. Anatomy of Smoke – A Retrospective of a Habit is precisely such a project. Through the exceptionally valuable Marenić Collection, we are presenting visitors with a unique collection that transcends the boundaries of private collecting and opens a dialogue about art, society, design, marketing, and everyday life. This exhibition is the result of a successful collaboration between the National Museum Zadar, collector Dario Marenić, and external experts, and we believe it will attract considerable interest from both professionals and the wider public, further establishing the National Museum Zadar as a venue for relevant and forward-looking museum projects," said Marin Ćurković, Director of the National Museum Zadar.
The exhibition Anatomy of Smoke – A Retrospective of a Habit is on view at the Rector's Palace, part of the National Museum Zadar, where it will remain open to visitors until September 2026.