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M K Ciurlionis National Museum of Art
Vlado Putvinskio str. 55, Kaunas
Tel.: +370 37 221418
E-Mail: MKC@takas.lt
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Works by M.K.Ciurlionis | Lithuanian art. 15th-19th c. | Lithuanian art. 1st half of 20th c. | Lithuanian folk art
| Lithuanian Art. 1st half of 20th c.
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K.Šimonis. Angel, 1927 |
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The exhibition presents a splendid collection of the 1st half of 20th
c. Lithuanian painting. The rebirth of Lithuanian art was stimulated by the First Lithuanian Art Exhibition held in 1907. The organizers of the event managed to unite Lithuanian artists scattered all over the
world. Till the 1st World War the Lithuanian Fine Arts Society organized 11 exhibitions displaying works of pupils of various art schools and art academies of
Poland, Germany, France, Russia. The artistic style of A.Žmuidzinavičius,
P.Rimša, A.Varnas, P.Kalpokas, J.Zikaras, J.Šileika, K.Sklėrius, J.Vienožinskis and others was formed by the artistic traditions of foreign
countries, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Symbolism and Art Nouveau. |
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A.Samuolis. Lady with a Dog, 1930 |
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Various forms of all these trends could be traced in the works of Lithuanian artists also influenced by Lithuanian folk art. In their efforts to solve the problem of existance of the High School of Art in Lithuania in 1920, on the initiative of
J.Vienožinskis, the Society of Lithuanian Art Creators founded the High Drawing Courses in Kaunas.
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A.Galdikas. The Cemetery
3rd decade
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M.Katiliūtė. Urtė, 1936 |
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In 1922 the Courses were reorganized into the Kaunas Art
School which in the period of 1922-41 trained a new generation of artists who livened up the Lithuanian cultural life and strengthened the foundation of national art.
Beside works by the former teachers of the Kaunas Art School J.Vienožinskis, A.Varnas,
K.Sklėrius, J.Šileika, P.Kalpokas, A.Galdikas there is a collection of works by A.Samuolis,
V.Vizgirda, A.Gudaitis, J.Mikėnas, L.Kazokas, J.Vaitys, A.Valeška who belonged to the art groups 'Ars' and
'The Independents'. Individual expression and bold experiments are exceptional features of their
creation. Members of art groups promoted modern and folk art, declared ideas of
individuality, novelty, originality and freedom in art, fostered
antinaturalistic, antiacademic aesthetic views. Artists formed their creative style under the influence of the tendencies of the Paris
school, Art Deco, Neo-Clasicism and principles of local folk art. |
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