LANDSCAPE IN
LITHUANIAN PAINTINGS
AUGUSTINAS SAVICKAS
Publishing House VAGA, Vilnius, 1965
LITHUANIAN PAINTINGS
AUGUSTINAS SAVICKAS
Publishing House VAGA, Vilnius, 1965
Česlovas ZNAMIEROVSKIS is an old artist of Vilnius, especially fond of depicting Vilnius and its environs in his canvases. By his attitude toward nature and style he is close to the “hedonistic” trend. In the sketches painted directly from nature he is more sensitive and tender than in large canvases where he idealizes nature and tries to make it more beautiful. Č. Znamierovskis describes his view on landscape and tasks set by it in the following way: “to approach nature as close as possible in order ‘one could have a walk’ in the fields in my picture and, secondly, that there would be a mood in the picture and that it would be possible to specify the seasons or even the time of the day”.
It should be noticed that Č. Znamierovskis admits his failures, too, and that seeking the aforesaid aims “was not always useful for colour selection and pictorial representation”.
The artist Znamierovskis has created about 1400 landscapes and 800 sketches. He is very fond of painting quiet corners of nature, especially early in spring when snow melts and nature awakens (“The Vilnele. The Last Snow”, 1960, fig. 225). First of all, in such landscapes the artist tries to render the impression of space, limpidity of water, firmness of ice and delicacy of the first grass in an illusory way. He does not worry about other problems of painting, e.g. combination of colours or texture.
We are most interested in the monumental panoramic landscapes painted by Č. Znamierovskis. He was one of the first artists who started painting landscapes of this type in which nature of the Soviet Lithuania was represented and which were suitable for decorating the interior of public buildings.
The panorama created in 1957 “Salute in Vilnius” should be considered as one of the most characteristic landscapes of this type (Fig. 226). Here Č. Znamierovskis admires light effects: the sky lit up by fireworks and abundantly illuminated buildings of Vilnius.
From the series of large painted landscapes “The Nemunas” should be distinguished (1956, fig. 227). According to the words of Č. Znamierovskis he succeeded in “approaching nature as close as possible” and revealing the majestic view of the river in this picture. Such canvases as “Panorama of the Neris River” (1949), “The Victory Celebration in Vilnius” (1950), “Control of the Neris Flow” (1959), “The Green Lake” (1955), “Klaipeda Port” (1959) are also worth mentioning.
It should be noticed that Č. Znamierovskis admits his failures, too, and that seeking the aforesaid aims “was not always useful for colour selection and pictorial representation”.
The artist Znamierovskis has created about 1400 landscapes and 800 sketches. He is very fond of painting quiet corners of nature, especially early in spring when snow melts and nature awakens (“The Vilnele. The Last Snow”, 1960, fig. 225). First of all, in such landscapes the artist tries to render the impression of space, limpidity of water, firmness of ice and delicacy of the first grass in an illusory way. He does not worry about other problems of painting, e.g. combination of colours or texture.
We are most interested in the monumental panoramic landscapes painted by Č. Znamierovskis. He was one of the first artists who started painting landscapes of this type in which nature of the Soviet Lithuania was represented and which were suitable for decorating the interior of public buildings.
The panorama created in 1957 “Salute in Vilnius” should be considered as one of the most characteristic landscapes of this type (Fig. 226). Here Č. Znamierovskis admires light effects: the sky lit up by fireworks and abundantly illuminated buildings of Vilnius.
From the series of large painted landscapes “The Nemunas” should be distinguished (1956, fig. 227). According to the words of Č. Znamierovskis he succeeded in “approaching nature as close as possible” and revealing the majestic view of the river in this picture. Such canvases as “Panorama of the Neris River” (1949), “The Victory Celebration in Vilnius” (1950), “Control of the Neris Flow” (1959), “The Green Lake” (1955), “Klaipeda Port” (1959) are also worth mentioning.
Translation: Vilnius Translation Bureau "DANUSTA" (Vilnius, Lithuania)
Translated from: Lithuanian
Originals:
Translated from: Lithuanian
Originals:
Source: Mazvydo National Library (Vilnius, Lithuania) // Mazvydo Nacionaline Biblioteka
Library reference card:
Library reference card: