Vilnius townscape

Adam Międzybłocki (1883–1956) was born in the Trakai district, and studied at Cracow Academy of Art under the Polish painters Teodor Axentowicz and Leon Wyczólkowski. He lived in Vilnius from 1922, and his townscapes in watercolour and gouache form the bulk of his oeuvre. They are realistic and decorative at the same time, with characteristically sunny lighting and graceful Art Nouveau forms. Vilnius townscape lifts the viewer above the city: a labyrinth of roofs stretches out below, and the cathedral and its bell tower and the tower on Gediminas Hill on the horizon complete the picture. The artist saw this view from the bell tower of the Church of Sts Johns: the top of its façade can be seen at the bottom of the picture. Międzybłocki used coloured paper, which shows through in some places, achieving the effect of the tiled roofs and a washed-out nostalgic look.

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). ‘Vilnius Forever. A Dialogue of Artworks and Guides to the City’, 25 May 2022 – 30 April 2023 Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curator Laima Laučkaitė.

Adam Międzybłocki (1883–1956) was born in the Trakai district, and studied at Cracow Academy of Art under the Polish painters Teodor Axentowicz and Leon Wyczólkowski. He lived in Vilnius from 1922, and his townscapes in watercolour and gouache form the bulk of his oeuvre. They are realistic and decorative at the same time, with characteristically sunny lighting and graceful Art Nouveau forms. Vilnius townscape lifts the viewer above the city: a labyrinth of roofs stretches out below, and the cathedral and its bell tower and the tower on Gediminas Hill on the horizon complete the picture. The artist saw this view from the bell tower of the Church of Sts Johns: the top of its façade can be seen at the bottom of the picture. Międzybłocki used coloured paper, which shows through in some places, achieving the effect of the tiled roofs and a washed-out nostalgic look.

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). ‘Vilnius Forever. A Dialogue of Artworks and Guides to the City’, 25 May 2022 – 30 April 2023 Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curator Laima Laučkaitė.