Easter is an important time of year in Catholic Croatia and other parts of the world. The celebration of the resurrection of Jesus is symbolized by re-birth. Eggs are often decorated in traditional art forms and in north western Croatia that means NAIVE art.

Croatia's large painted eggs are set to become ambassadors for the country. That's thanks to an initiative by the local tourist board.

Fourteen large Easter eggs will travel to thirteen cities around the world.

Naive art in South East Europe started in the early thirties of the last century in and around the village of Hlebine, in north-western Croatia.

Self-taught and "primitive" by definition, naive artists of the so called "Hlebine School" paint landscapes, peasants, cows and roosters.

The images may recall the simple renderings of a child or a neolithic cave painting in their innocence and originality.

Naive painting of the Podravina region is characteristic by themes from everyday village life, including serene landscapes and bright colors.

Today this tradition is maintained in Hlebine by some 50 painters.

Twenty artists were involved in painting the large Easter eggs over a period of two weeks.

Each egg is unique and all of the artists working on this project are amateurs. They are mainly self-taught and without formal artistic education.

Some artists will travel with the Eggs.

Zdravko Mihevc, director of tourist board in Koprivnica-Krizevci country said, "We are taking some artists who will paint on the small eggs in a traditional manner. We will also take the artists who painted these large Easter eggs and who will present a marvellous technique of naive glass painting."

The eggs are made of polyester. They are about 2 meters high, 1.5 meters wide and weigh 35 kilograms.

The project is funded by the Croatian tourist board.