St Dominic

Józef Bałzukiewicz (1866–1915), a member of a Vilnius family of artists and the son of Wincent Bałzukiewicz, painted a picture of St Dominic (1170–1221), the founder of the Dominican Order. In the picture, the saint is dressed in a white Dominican habit and a black robe, with a lily in one hand to symbolise chastity, and a Rosary in the other. The Dominicans promoted the Rosary, and were patrons of the Confraternity of the Rosary, which is why it is a frequent attribute in images of Dominicans. A star shines over the saint’s head, which according to a story appeared at his baptism. St Dominic is often called the Light of the Church, and was credited with strengthening the Church: members of the order are famous for their erudition and their university education, represented by an open book. A watchful dog with a torch in its mouth and a globe are insignia of the Dominican Order, arising from the hagiography of the saint. Dominic’s mother dreamt that she would give birth to a dog which would hold a torch in its mouth and ‘burn the world’. The insignia symbolises the mission of the order: to spread the flame of the word of God around the world.

Text author Dalia Vasiliūnienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album HEAVEN AND BEYOND (2016). Compiler Dalia Vasiliūnienė. Text authors Dalia Vasiliūnienė, Skaidrė Urbonienė
Expositions: “Heaven and Beyond. Works of religious art from the collection of Rolandas Valiūnas and the law firm Valiunas Ellex“, 31 May–24 September 2016, Church Heritage Museum, Vilnius (curators Dalia Vasiliūnienė, Skaidrė Urbonienė); “Académie de Vilna. Vilnius Drawing School (1866–1915)”, 5 October – 26 November 2017, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius (curator Jolanta Širkaitė). Published: Académie de Vilna: Vilniaus piešimo mokykla 1866-1915 / Vilnius drawing school: Exhibition Catalogue, Nacionalinė dailės galerija 2017 m. 4 d. - lapkričio 26 d., compiled by Jolanta Širkaitė, Vilnius: Lietuvos kultūros tyrimų institutas, 2017, p. 89. "St Dominic and St Hyacinth in Lithuania: Eight Centuries of Memory", 17 August 2021 – 29 January 2022, Church Heritage Museum, Vilnius. Curator of the exhibition Birutė Valečkaitė.

Józef Bałzukiewicz (1866–1915), a member of a Vilnius family of artists and the son of Wincent Bałzukiewicz, painted a picture of St Dominic (1170–1221), the founder of the Dominican Order. In the picture, the saint is dressed in a white Dominican habit and a black robe, with a lily in one hand to symbolise chastity, and a Rosary in the other. The Dominicans promoted the Rosary, and were patrons of the Confraternity of the Rosary, which is why it is a frequent attribute in images of Dominicans. A star shines over the saint’s head, which according to a story appeared at his baptism. St Dominic is often called the Light of the Church, and was credited with strengthening the Church: members of the order are famous for their erudition and their university education, represented by an open book. A watchful dog with a torch in its mouth and a globe are insignia of the Dominican Order, arising from the hagiography of the saint. Dominic’s mother dreamt that she would give birth to a dog which would hold a torch in its mouth and ‘burn the world’. The insignia symbolises the mission of the order: to spread the flame of the word of God around the world.

Text author Dalia Vasiliūnienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album HEAVEN AND BEYOND (2016). Compiler Dalia Vasiliūnienė. Text authors Dalia Vasiliūnienė, Skaidrė Urbonienė
Expositions: “Heaven and Beyond. Works of religious art from the collection of Rolandas Valiūnas and the law firm Valiunas Ellex“, 31 May–24 September 2016, Church Heritage Museum, Vilnius (curators Dalia Vasiliūnienė, Skaidrė Urbonienė); “Académie de Vilna. Vilnius Drawing School (1866–1915)”, 5 October – 26 November 2017, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius (curator Jolanta Širkaitė). Published: Académie de Vilna: Vilniaus piešimo mokykla 1866-1915 / Vilnius drawing school: Exhibition Catalogue, Nacionalinė dailės galerija 2017 m. 4 d. - lapkričio 26 d., compiled by Jolanta Širkaitė, Vilnius: Lietuvos kultūros tyrimų institutas, 2017, p. 89. "St Dominic and St Hyacinth in Lithuania: Eight Centuries of Memory", 17 August 2021 – 29 January 2022, Church Heritage Museum, Vilnius. Curator of the exhibition Birutė Valečkaitė.