Sale of clothing

‘Vilnius in the Year of War 1916’.

Sales of old and second-hand clothing took place regularly in the turmoil of the streets in the Jewish quarter. In this, as in his other pictures, Buhe used an elongated horizontal format, which enabled him to extend the description and show the full range of characters, their bearing and movements. Buhe’s compositions are dynamic, they portray action, and the draughtsmanship is distinguished by its early 20th-century Secessionist style. The characters are slightly caricaturised, but Buhe’s humour is warm and not spiteful. He usually depicted the city in winter: people
huddling in huge overcoats and fur coats, and wrapped in scarves, look stout and well fed, and the city seems to be living well. This creates a false picture, for the reality for the citizens of Vilnius was the opposite: they suffered from hunger and the cold, and fell prey to disease.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album VILNIUS. TOPOPHILIA II (2015). Compiler and author Laima Laučkaitė
Expositions: ‘Vilnius Forever. A Dialogue of Artworks and Guides to the City’, 25 May 2022 – 30 April 2023 Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curator Laima Laučkaitė.

‘Vilnius in the Year of War 1916’.

Sales of old and second-hand clothing took place regularly in the turmoil of the streets in the Jewish quarter. In this, as in his other pictures, Buhe used an elongated horizontal format, which enabled him to extend the description and show the full range of characters, their bearing and movements. Buhe’s compositions are dynamic, they portray action, and the draughtsmanship is distinguished by its early 20th-century Secessionist style. The characters are slightly caricaturised, but Buhe’s humour is warm and not spiteful. He usually depicted the city in winter: people
huddling in huge overcoats and fur coats, and wrapped in scarves, look stout and well fed, and the city seems to be living well. This creates a false picture, for the reality for the citizens of Vilnius was the opposite: they suffered from hunger and the cold, and fell prey to disease.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album VILNIUS. TOPOPHILIA II (2015). Compiler and author Laima Laučkaitė
Expositions: ‘Vilnius Forever. A Dialogue of Artworks and Guides to the City’, 25 May 2022 – 30 April 2023 Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curator Laima Laučkaitė.