Roadside shrine with a sculpture of St Florian

Total H 120, figure 85

Želva, Ukmergė district

The religious carver Jonas Šepetys (1858–1932) lived in the village of Kazliškės, near Želva in the Ukmergė district, and carved sculptures of saints, crosses, and roadside shrines. His works could be found not only near where he lived, but in other places in the Želva district too, and even reached Balninkai and Žemaitkiemis.

This sculpture of St Florian is distinguished by the monumentality and colour that are characteristic of his work. It was incorporated into a roadside shrine, the upper part of which was open, with a small tin roof with curved edges above it supported by four metal supports. The roof was once decorated with a metal top, which has not survived.

Sculptures of St Florian, whose intercession was invoked as protection against fire, were placed in tall roadside shrines opposite buildings, for it was believed that the sculpture must ‘see’ the buildings of the village or the town in order to protect them from fire.

Text author Skaidrė Urbonienė

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); “Saint Florian - patron of firefighters” 4 May – 31 July 2017, Trakai Island Castle, Trakai

Total H 120, figure 85

Želva, Ukmergė district

The religious carver Jonas Šepetys (1858–1932) lived in the village of Kazliškės, near Želva in the Ukmergė district, and carved sculptures of saints, crosses, and roadside shrines. His works could be found not only near where he lived, but in other places in the Želva district too, and even reached Balninkai and Žemaitkiemis.

This sculpture of St Florian is distinguished by the monumentality and colour that are characteristic of his work. It was incorporated into a roadside shrine, the upper part of which was open, with a small tin roof with curved edges above it supported by four metal supports. The roof was once decorated with a metal top, which has not survived.

Sculptures of St Florian, whose intercession was invoked as protection against fire, were placed in tall roadside shrines opposite buildings, for it was believed that the sculpture must ‘see’ the buildings of the village or the town in order to protect them from fire.

Text author Skaidrė Urbonienė

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); “Saint Florian - patron of firefighters” 4 May – 31 July 2017, Trakai Island Castle, Trakai