Mother (Compassion)

Jan Gintowt-Dziewałtowski (1904–1980) used the fragile and rarely used technique of engraving on glass covered with ink to convey the sculptural decoration of St Peter and St Paul’s Church. The Baroque stucco sculptures were modelled in the second half of the 17th century by the Italian craftsmen Pietro Perti and Giovanni Galli, to cover the whole interior of the church. There are four splendid chapels. One of them is adorned with four figures, symbolising Humility, Diligence, Peace and Compassion. Perhaps the most noteworthy figure, which captivated Gintowt-Dziewałtowski, is that of Compassion, portraying a breastfeeding mother surrounded by angels. The sculpture shows the delicate face of the young woman, seated gently in a dynamic and lavish composition of flowers, shells and fruit. The accurately modelled three-dimensional forms, seen as if they are lit from the side, and the strong chiaroscuro, suggest that the engraving was made from a photograph, and that therefore we are looking at a threefold example of ‘art about art’: a work of graphic art based on a photograph of a sculpture.

Text author Laima Laučkaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album VILNIUS. TOPOPHILIA I (2014). Compiler and author Laima Laučkaitė, 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.

Jan Gintowt-Dziewałtowski (1904–1980) used the fragile and rarely used technique of engraving on glass covered with ink to convey the sculptural decoration of St Peter and St Paul’s Church. The Baroque stucco sculptures were modelled in the second half of the 17th century by the Italian craftsmen Pietro Perti and Giovanni Galli, to cover the whole interior of the church. There are four splendid chapels. One of them is adorned with four figures, symbolising Humility, Diligence, Peace and Compassion. Perhaps the most noteworthy figure, which captivated Gintowt-Dziewałtowski, is that of Compassion, portraying a breastfeeding mother surrounded by angels. The sculpture shows the delicate face of the young woman, seated gently in a dynamic and lavish composition of flowers, shells and fruit. The accurately modelled three-dimensional forms, seen as if they are lit from the side, and the strong chiaroscuro, suggest that the engraving was made from a photograph, and that therefore we are looking at a threefold example of ‘art about art’: a work of graphic art based on a photograph of a sculpture.

Text author Laima Laučkaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album VILNIUS. TOPOPHILIA I (2014). Compiler and author Laima Laučkaitė, 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.