Mother

Motherhood is a significant motif in the sculptor’s work, appearing more than once in his career. As early as 1938, he made a wooden sculpture portraying a mother and child, which is now preserved in the collection of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art. In this piece, the mother is depicted with a sense of stateliness, idealised and adorned with decorative elements, evoking an archaic quality. She embodies the essence of human existence, the vital act of giving life and ensuring human continuity. Facing the viewer and cradling a baby in her arms, the mother exudes strength and a nurturing warmth, akin to an archaic goddess. The baby, nestling in her embrace, holds a globe, a symbol of the world. This treatment of a mother and child is replicated almost identically in terracotta works from his late period by Robertas Antinis Sr (1898–1981).

Text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album MORE THAN JUST BEAUTY (2012). Compiler and author Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, THE ART OF MATERIALS. Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

Motherhood is a significant motif in the sculptor’s work, appearing more than once in his career. As early as 1938, he made a wooden sculpture portraying a mother and child, which is now preserved in the collection of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art. In this piece, the mother is depicted with a sense of stateliness, idealised and adorned with decorative elements, evoking an archaic quality. She embodies the essence of human existence, the vital act of giving life and ensuring human continuity. Facing the viewer and cradling a baby in her arms, the mother exudes strength and a nurturing warmth, akin to an archaic goddess. The baby, nestling in her embrace, holds a globe, a symbol of the world. This treatment of a mother and child is replicated almost identically in terracotta works from his late period by Robertas Antinis Sr (1898–1981).

Text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album MORE THAN JUST BEAUTY (2012). Compiler and author Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, THE ART OF MATERIALS. Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė