Songsters

Robertas Antinis Sr (1898–1981) admired Lithuanian folk sculpture from a very young age, drawn to its perfection, archaism and its profound impact. Echoes of folk sculpture and folk motifs resonate through many of his works. Songsters belongs to his late creative period, during the 1960s and 1970s. In this period of creative maturity and prosperity, he worked extensively with chamotte and terracotta, using his favourite motifs and well-established treatment of forms. But the creative principles and motifs he carried over from his youth remain palpable. His admiration for Classical art and Lithuanian folk traditions, coupled with a penchant for generalised, serene forms, and the nurturing and transmission of human values to younger generations, are central to Antinis’ oeuvre. Hence the recurring imagery of a sage, a kanklės player, and a pagan priest, often shown surrounded by children.

Text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album THE ART OF MATERIALS. Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

Robertas Antinis Sr (1898–1981) admired Lithuanian folk sculpture from a very young age, drawn to its perfection, archaism and its profound impact. Echoes of folk sculpture and folk motifs resonate through many of his works. Songsters belongs to his late creative period, during the 1960s and 1970s. In this period of creative maturity and prosperity, he worked extensively with chamotte and terracotta, using his favourite motifs and well-established treatment of forms. But the creative principles and motifs he carried over from his youth remain palpable. His admiration for Classical art and Lithuanian folk traditions, coupled with a penchant for generalised, serene forms, and the nurturing and transmission of human values to younger generations, are central to Antinis’ oeuvre. Hence the recurring imagery of a sage, a kanklės player, and a pagan priest, often shown surrounded by children.

Text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album THE ART OF MATERIALS. Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė