The Gates of Dawn in Vilnius

Roman Jakimowicz made several versions of engravings of the Gates of Dawn seen from beyond the city wall: one of them depicts only architecture, and another is filled with figures of people. A procession of barefoot villagers in coarse home-spun overcoats, carrying religious banners, moves towards the holy picture, watched by a beggar leaning on a stick. The action is transferred to the past, and has an archaic quality. Like other young artists in Vilnius in the 1920s and 1930s, Jakimowicz liked to use strong chiaroscuro, and a dynamic rhythm of shapes and sharp lines in this lively and expressive interpretation of the past of Vilnius.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album VILNIUS. TOPOPHILIA I (2014). Compiler and author Laima Laučkaitė
Expositions: “Vilnius. Topophilia. Views of Vilnius from the collection of the law firm Ellex Valiunas”, 5 October – 26 November 2017, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius (curator Laima Laučkaitė)

Roman Jakimowicz made several versions of engravings of the Gates of Dawn seen from beyond the city wall: one of them depicts only architecture, and another is filled with figures of people. A procession of barefoot villagers in coarse home-spun overcoats, carrying religious banners, moves towards the holy picture, watched by a beggar leaning on a stick. The action is transferred to the past, and has an archaic quality. Like other young artists in Vilnius in the 1920s and 1930s, Jakimowicz liked to use strong chiaroscuro, and a dynamic rhythm of shapes and sharp lines in this lively and expressive interpretation of the past of Vilnius.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album VILNIUS. TOPOPHILIA I (2014). Compiler and author Laima Laučkaitė
Expositions: “Vilnius. Topophilia. Views of Vilnius from the collection of the law firm Ellex Valiunas”, 5 October – 26 November 2017, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius (curator Laima Laučkaitė)