There are artists who through their life experience distinct creative stages varying in style. This depends on the artist’s individuality and outlook. However, there are artists whose creation matures gradually without big leaps and within a number of years reveals a distinguishable original style. One of such artists is Česlovas Znamierovskis, a landscape painter from Vilnius, celebrating his 75th anniversary of birth.

Česlovas Znamierovskis was born on 23 May 1890 in Latvia, in the rural district of Pilden, in the farmstead of Zotiške. Having finished Daugavpils secondary school, he worked in different institutions. From the very childhood he admired the colours in which the fields of the native country were covered in spring and autumn. Thus, a 22-year-old young man with some savings left for Petersburg and there he entered the Art Supporting Society. After three years as a person with undoubted talent Česlovas Znamierovskis was admitted to higher school under the Academy of Art.

After the October Socialist Revolution Česlovas Znamierovskis came back to Latvia. Here he took an active part in organization of the Soviet power and for some time had worked as Chairman of Proletariat Culture of Liucen region.

After his first art exhibition arranged in Riga museum in 1920 Č. Znamierovskis joined the Latvian Independent Artists’ Society and in 1926 arrived in Vilnius for permanent residence. Since that moment the whole artist’s creation and social activity has been related to Vilnius.

The establishment of the Independent Artists’ Society in Vilnius in 1930 the organizer of which was Č. Znamierovskis was quite important for the Lithuanian art history. This society arranged spring and autumn art exhibitions every year. In 1936 it organized the second one-man exhibition of Č. Znamierovskis.

Three years ago the spectator of our capital got widely acquainted with the abundant creation of Č. Znamierovskis (exhibited in relation to the 40th anniversary of creative activity) and mainly found interesting landscapes in it.

Česlovas Znamierovskis became greatly attracted by hills, valleys and evergreen pine forests of Vilnius environs. Therefore the theme of Vilnius countryside takes a major part in his landscapes. The most interesting works are “Before Rain”, “The Neris at Vilnius”, “Vilnius Panorama” and “The Green Lake” in which the painter sensitively reveals the beauty of nature.

Within the long years of the creative activity the artist created more than 2000 paintings and sketches many of which were acquired by museums and art lovers.

Having celebrated the 75th anniversary of birth, the painter is full of creative energy and new plans.

R. ALEKNA

Translation: Vilnius Translation Bureau "DANUSTA" (Vilnius, Lithuania)
Translated from: Lithuanian
Originals:

 Literature and Art 
No 21, 23 May 1965
Lithuanian Writers’ Union Weekly
DECADES AT THE EASEL

Forty-five years of creative work, more than 2 000 artworks – these facts already tell us much about Česlovas Znamierovskis, one of the older artists of Vilnius: tomorrow the painter is celebrating his 75th anniversary of birth.

Č. Znamierovskis’ path to the world of art was winding and complicated. Having finished the secondary school in Daugavpils, he studied art in Petersburg, lived in Latvia for a long time and then again studied art at Vilnius University; since 1926 Č. Znamierovskis has settled in Vilnius. Throughout his long period of creative work he arranged several one-man exhibitions (the last and most extensive one took place in 1962 in Vilnius).

The basic element of the artist’s creation is a landscape done by the painter in different aspects:  he is fond both of large-scale panoramic landscapes-compositions (“Before Rain”, “The Neris at Vilnius”, “Vilnius Panorama”, “The Green Lake”, etc.) and industrial views (“Building of Bridge across the Neris”, “Klaipeda Port”, “Control of the Neris Flow”, etc.) as well as small format landscape sketches. If in the first ones the artist renders the epic and calm reflection by strong naturalism of the drawing and colour, aims at experiencing the impression of materiality and space (here the influence of academic art on his works manifests itself), spontaneous breathing of nature and quite different artist’s attitude towards it is felt in his landscape sketches. Cheerful and sensitive spirits radiate from the landscape sketches, the painting manner is more dynamic and courageous, it renders the colours of the landscape in a fuller and more pictorial way, reveals the forms of things and sincere emotions of the artist.

There are a number of paintings-compositions such as “V. Kapsukas Declares Soviet Power in Lithuania”, “The Victory Celebration” as well as portraits among the earlier works of the painter.

Despite his old age, Č. Znamierovskis sensitively lends an ear to a new pulse of time and seeks new artistic means for showing reality in his canvases.

E. PRANCKŪNAS

Translation: Vilnius Translation Bureau "DANUSTA" (Vilnius, Lithuania)
Translated from: Lithuanian
Originals: