Vytautas the Great

Vytautas the Great was arguably the most important national hero in the interwar period. The 500th anniversaries in 1930 of his intended coronation and his death were solemnly commemorated both in Lithuania and in the Vilnius region, which was then part of Poland. Another symbolic event followed in September 1931 with the discovery of the Royal Crypt. After the spring floods, during efforts to protect and reinforce the cathedral’s structure and foundations, and in the hope of locating the tomb of Vytautas the Great, excavations in the basement revealed a crypt with the remains of King Alexander Jagiellon and the two wives of Sigismund Augustus, Elizabeth of Austria and Barbora Radvilaitė. This discovery reinforced Vilnius’ image as a historically Polish city, while also rekindling the hope in both nations that the remains of Vytautas the Great might eventually be found.

The monument to Vytautas the Great by Vincas Grybas (1890–1941) was erected in 1931 to mark the 500th anniversary of the ruler’s death. It was unveiled at the Military School at Aukštoji Panemunė in Kaunas, removed in 1951, and reerected in 1990 on Laisvės Avenue. The plaster bust of Vytautas the Great in the Ellex Valiunas collection was created as a sculptural study for the monument. Interestingly, Vytautas is depicted in what appears to be a Lithuanian army uniform.

Text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

 

When the independent Republic of Lithuania celebrated the 500th anniversary of the death of Vytautas the Great in 1930, a number of monuments and other memorials of varying artistic quality were put up all over the country. One of the most famous, by Vincas Grybas (1890–1941), was unveiled in 1931 at Aukštoji Panemunė in Kaunas (it was taken down in 1951, and put up on Laisvės Avenue in 1990). A plaster bust of the grand duke, currently in the Ellex Valiunas collection, was made as a scale model for this monument.

Text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album KAUNAS–VILNIUS / 1918–1945 (2021). Compilers and text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė, THE ART OF MATERIALS. Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė
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.

Vytautas the Great was arguably the most important national hero in the interwar period. The 500th anniversaries in 1930 of his intended coronation and his death were solemnly commemorated both in Lithuania and in the Vilnius region, which was then part of Poland. Another symbolic event followed in September 1931 with the discovery of the Royal Crypt. After the spring floods, during efforts to protect and reinforce the cathedral’s structure and foundations, and in the hope of locating the tomb of Vytautas the Great, excavations in the basement revealed a crypt with the remains of King Alexander Jagiellon and the two wives of Sigismund Augustus, Elizabeth of Austria and Barbora Radvilaitė. This discovery reinforced Vilnius’ image as a historically Polish city, while also rekindling the hope in both nations that the remains of Vytautas the Great might eventually be found.

The monument to Vytautas the Great by Vincas Grybas (1890–1941) was erected in 1931 to mark the 500th anniversary of the ruler’s death. It was unveiled at the Military School at Aukštoji Panemunė in Kaunas, removed in 1951, and reerected in 1990 on Laisvės Avenue. The plaster bust of Vytautas the Great in the Ellex Valiunas collection was created as a sculptural study for the monument. Interestingly, Vytautas is depicted in what appears to be a Lithuanian army uniform.

Text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

 

When the independent Republic of Lithuania celebrated the 500th anniversary of the death of Vytautas the Great in 1930, a number of monuments and other memorials of varying artistic quality were put up all over the country. One of the most famous, by Vincas Grybas (1890–1941), was unveiled in 1931 at Aukštoji Panemunė in Kaunas (it was taken down in 1951, and put up on Laisvės Avenue in 1990). A plaster bust of the grand duke, currently in the Ellex Valiunas collection, was made as a scale model for this monument.

Text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album KAUNAS–VILNIUS / 1918–1945 (2021). Compilers and text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė, THE ART OF MATERIALS. Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė
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.