Milena Pavlović Barilli

A Serbian paintress who illustrated the covers of the world’s most significant fashion magazines, Milena Pavlović Barilli defied taboos and shocked the public of the time with her surrealistic art.

Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Charm and Glamour are just some of the world’s top fashion magazines that had their covers illustrated by Milena Pavlović Barilli. Thanks to her work and talent she became a regular illustrator in those magazines.

Her paintings were exhibited in the most famous galleries in London, Rome, Paris and New York.

A house in Požarevac where Milena Pavlović Barilli was born is now a museum dedicated to exceptional work of this extraordinary and talented woman that is considered one of the most unique paintresses in Europe between the two World wars. Here visitors can admire her paintings and drawings that made her famous. Numerous letters and poems in four languages she was fluent in are also displayed in the museum.

A beloved daughter of an Italian composer and poet, and a Serbian mother, Milena Pavlović Barilli dedicated her short life to art. She traveled the world and exhibited in the best world galleries.

Surrealism, a novelty in Serbia of the time, was already widely accepted abroad making it possible for the young paintress from the Balkans to be warmheartedly welcomed by the art world elite. Upon her arrival to the United States, she became an illustrator for Vogue magazine, and her illustrations could be seen on the covers of numerous prestigious fashion magazines.

Nevertheless, Milena loved Serbia and was proud of her origin. Once the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs offered her a specialization in Italy and Italian citizenship, but she declined.

On the occasion, she wrote to her mother: “The world is wonderful. Countries are amazing, people are interesting, but there is no city like Belgrade early in the morning, and there is no sky like the one above our garden in Požarevac at night. Not in Spain, nor in Italy. Our sky is the most beautiful!”

She died suddenly at the age of 36 leaving behind more than 300 paintings, numerous sketches, drawings and an endless sorrow in all those who knew her.

Milena Pavlović Barilli broke taboos and shocked the public. She was brave and fought the stereotypes. A woman in her paintings is always beautiful, wistfully lovely and resembles the artist herself. Or, in the words of Jean Cassou, a writer and famous art critic: “Milena resembled her paintings”