Cvijet pod staklom

The collection represents one of Matasović's first prose works and marks the beginning of his fruitful literary career. Antun Matasović (Velika Kopanica, 1893 – Karlovac, 1986) was a professor, principal and one of the most popular Croatian Catholic writers between the two world wars. He is best known for his Slavonian novels (Bartol and Bara tetralogy, For Daily Bread), and in his early stories such as The Flower Under Glass he shows a strong regional stamp and a moral-didactic approach.

The collection contains several short stories from Slavonian rural and small-town life. The title story "The Flower Under Glass" uses the symbol of a sensitive, protected flower that represents the fragile human destiny exposed to the harshness of the world. Matasović writes realistically, with warmth and understanding for ordinary people, their worries, loves, conflicts of generations and religious values. The stories are imbued with a Catholic spirit: they emphasize virtue, sacrifice, family unity, and condemn frivolity.

The style is simple, accessible, and narrative, typical of Croatian folk literature of the time. Matasović masterfully depicts the Slavonian landscape, customs, speech, and mentality, which gives authenticity to the work. Although sometimes inclined to moralize, the prose retains emotional strength and readability.

This 1921 edition is today a rare antiquarian copy and testifies to the lively publishing activity in the province in the early years of the Kingdom of SHS. Matasović's works were popular among Catholic readers because they promoted traditional values at a time when Croatian literature was facing modern trends.