The artist biography of painter and academician Ljubica Cuca Sokić (1914–2009), shaped by French and Serbian Late Modernism, offers an opportunity to explore themes and areas of her work that have not yet been the focus of art criticism.

The legacy collection of Ljubica Cuca Sokić, kept at the Special Collections of the National Library of Serbia in Belgrade, was established between 2009 and 2022 as a donation from the artist’s heirs – the Gatalović family. It is a valuable resource for studying various aspects of her art.

The NLS introduces a selection of 90 drawings on separate sheets of paper and a bundle of works in sketchbooks, confirming that the artist’s creative expression flourished in multiple fields through a diverse and rich artistic practice. A significant portion of prints consists of preparatory works, sketches, tests, studies, and conceptual designs, serving as potential templates for future illustrations. The collection, comprehending a period from the 1950s to the late 1970s, is organised into following thematic units: animalistic motifs, portraits of women, men, and children, and historical costumes.

These sketches and studies of the surrounding world, which reflect her ethical, aesthetic, and human values, record her original, complete, and immediate experiences and moments of sincere artistic inspiration.

Authors of the exhibition and texts: MA Milana Kvas (Pavle Beljanski Memorial Collection) and Gorana Stevanović (National Library of Serbia)