Flatlands

Ignacy Szczedrowski (1815–1870) came from Raseiniai, and started studying painting under Jan Rustem. After the university was closed, he continued his studies at St Petersburg Academy of Art, and lived in Russia for the rest of his life. His fame in Russia rested on a series of lithographs depicting different types and domestic scenes. However, Szczedrowski sometimes painted landscapes, especially when visiting his home, but only a handful are known today. Flatlands is a rare example of one of his landscape paintings. It is difficult to say exactly where it was painted, but judging by the buildings in the distance, it was certainly not in Russia. It may have been present-day Latvia. In the foreground, he painted a broad and well-beaten dirt track, narrowing as it recedes into the distance, leading the viewer’s eye towards several low buildings and a simple church tower. The foliage of the nearby trees connects the strip of land with the vast and clear summer sky, which fills most of the canvas. A boy is depicted in the middle, walking next to a little horse with its head bent down pulling an empty two-wheel cart. Their lengthening shadows fall on the sand, as a premonition of the approaching evening.

Text author Rūta Janonienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album THE WORLD OF LANDSCAPES I (2010). Text authors Nijolė Tumėnienė, Dalia Tarandaitė, RES PUBLICA (2018). Compiler and author Rūta Janonienė
Expositions: “John Rustem. Artist and educator“, 30 October 2012 – 10 March 2013, Vilnius Picture Gallery, Vilnius

Ignacy Szczedrowski (1815–1870) came from Raseiniai, and started studying painting under Jan Rustem. After the university was closed, he continued his studies at St Petersburg Academy of Art, and lived in Russia for the rest of his life. His fame in Russia rested on a series of lithographs depicting different types and domestic scenes. However, Szczedrowski sometimes painted landscapes, especially when visiting his home, but only a handful are known today. Flatlands is a rare example of one of his landscape paintings. It is difficult to say exactly where it was painted, but judging by the buildings in the distance, it was certainly not in Russia. It may have been present-day Latvia. In the foreground, he painted a broad and well-beaten dirt track, narrowing as it recedes into the distance, leading the viewer’s eye towards several low buildings and a simple church tower. The foliage of the nearby trees connects the strip of land with the vast and clear summer sky, which fills most of the canvas. A boy is depicted in the middle, walking next to a little horse with its head bent down pulling an empty two-wheel cart. Their lengthening shadows fall on the sand, as a premonition of the approaching evening.

Text author Rūta Janonienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album THE WORLD OF LANDSCAPES I (2010). Text authors Nijolė Tumėnienė, Dalia Tarandaitė, RES PUBLICA (2018). Compiler and author Rūta Janonienė
Expositions: “John Rustem. Artist and educator“, 30 October 2012 – 10 March 2013, Vilnius Picture Gallery, Vilnius