Portrait of Robertas Antinis

After studying at the Krakow Academy of Fine Art, Justinas Vienožinskis (1886–1960) became one of the main figures on the Kaunas art scene in the 1920s. His activities were not limited to creative work: he helped to set up drawing classes, and later Kaunas Art School, while his bold and sometimes rather controversial statements in the interwar press fuelled the debates on issues of art. It is no surprise that by encouraging artistic freedom, and encouraging artists to discard the canons of Realism and Academism, and search for individual forms of artistic expression that were characteristic of Modernist art, Vienožinskis was probably the greatest authority for young art students.

However, as the head and later a teacher at the art school, his liberal views did not always coincide with the policy of the Ministry of Education. Vienožinskis’dismissal in 1929 provoked a famous student strike, which ended in clashes with the teachers and the expulsion of the most active protesters from the school.

Teaching was one of the main livelihoods of artists. Since there was limited scope for public and private commissions, the competition for them was sometimes high. The most popular genre in art was undoubtedly the official portrait. In 1932, by which time he was no longer a teacher at the art school, Vienožinskis actively and quite creatively looked for commissions. Having sent out promotional leaflets with a price list to prominent public figures, he probably received several commissions.

Text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album KAUNAS–VILNIUS / 1918–1945 (2021). Compilers and text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė
Expositions: "1918-1945 / Kaunas-Vilnius", 27 August 2020 – 21 August 2021, Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curators Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė.

After studying at the Krakow Academy of Fine Art, Justinas Vienožinskis (1886–1960) became one of the main figures on the Kaunas art scene in the 1920s. His activities were not limited to creative work: he helped to set up drawing classes, and later Kaunas Art School, while his bold and sometimes rather controversial statements in the interwar press fuelled the debates on issues of art. It is no surprise that by encouraging artistic freedom, and encouraging artists to discard the canons of Realism and Academism, and search for individual forms of artistic expression that were characteristic of Modernist art, Vienožinskis was probably the greatest authority for young art students.

However, as the head and later a teacher at the art school, his liberal views did not always coincide with the policy of the Ministry of Education. Vienožinskis’dismissal in 1929 provoked a famous student strike, which ended in clashes with the teachers and the expulsion of the most active protesters from the school.

Teaching was one of the main livelihoods of artists. Since there was limited scope for public and private commissions, the competition for them was sometimes high. The most popular genre in art was undoubtedly the official portrait. In 1932, by which time he was no longer a teacher at the art school, Vienožinskis actively and quite creatively looked for commissions. Having sent out promotional leaflets with a price list to prominent public figures, he probably received several commissions.

Text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album KAUNAS–VILNIUS / 1918–1945 (2021). Compilers and text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė
Expositions: "1918-1945 / Kaunas-Vilnius", 27 August 2020 – 21 August 2021, Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curators Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė.