An omen in the sky (observed by the artist in 1931, east of the Jadagoniai ancient burial ground)
| Author: | Jonas Šileika (1883–1960) |
Painter and teacher Jonas Šileika was born on 2 July 1883 in Jadagonių village near Kaunas. When he was 16 years of age he left for the USA. In 1904–1906 he was a student of the Art faculty at Valparaiso University. In 1910 he finished art school in Chicago. He began to participate in exhibitions in 1909. After receiving a two-year grant he left for Paris, then to Munich (1911–1913) and the Bavarian Academy of Аrt where he studied painting under K. Marr. He participated in the III, VI, VII and VIII exhibitions of Lithuanian art in Vilnius, where he displayed his landscapes and portraits. In 1913 he returned to Lithuania having left his works in Munich – the fate of which is still unknown. At the beginning of the First World War he lived in Moscow, and in 1915 he again went to Chicago. In 1921 he returned to Lithuania for good and from 1922 to 1940 taught drawing at the Kaunas School of Art. In 1941–1943 he was a lecturer at the Kaunas Institute of Applied Art. In 1944–1951 he was a lecturer and professor (1944) at the Kaunas Institute of Applied and Fine Arts. Though not the most prolific painter, he still created about 100 landscapes and portraits, and several figure compositions, mostly of historical character. He died on 27 October 1960 in Kaunas.
Painter and teacher Jonas Šileika was born on 2 July 1883 in Jadagonių village near Kaunas. When he was 16 years of age he left for the USA. In 1904–1906 he was a student of the Art faculty at Valparaiso University. In 1910 he finished art school in Chicago. He began to participate in exhibitions in 1909. After receiving a two-year grant he left for Paris, then to Munich (1911–1913) and the Bavarian Academy of Аrt where he studied painting under K. Marr. He participated in the III, VI, VII and VIII exhibitions of Lithuanian art in Vilnius, where he displayed his landscapes and portraits. In 1913 he returned to Lithuania having left his works in Munich – the fate of which is still unknown. At the beginning of the First World War he lived in Moscow, and in 1915 he again went to Chicago. In 1921 he returned to Lithuania for good and from 1922 to 1940 taught drawing at the Kaunas School of Art. In 1941–1943 he was a lecturer at the Kaunas Institute of Applied Art. In 1944–1951 he was a lecturer and professor (1944) at the Kaunas Institute of Applied and Fine Arts. Though not the most prolific painter, he still created about 100 landscapes and portraits, and several figure compositions, mostly of historical character. He died on 27 October 1960 in Kaunas.
