Morning

One of the few works by Kazys Varnelis (1917–2010) to survive from his early period shows clearly the authority and influence of his teacher Stasys Ušinskas. Morning, like other works by Varnelis that show Ušinskas’ influence, and which were scattered among various Lithuanian collections after the artsist’s departure for Vienna, has for a long time been ascribed to the teacher, and not to the student. At the beginning of the 21st century, Varnelis confirmed his authorship, and explained that Morning was one of the four parts of the series Day and night. The others represented morning, evening and night. The allegory, painted in Kaunas during the war, glorifies strength, élan, energy and youth. These feelings were rather rare in Lithuanian art at that time. The picture is distinguished by its modernity, a style of expression characteristic of Art Deco, which almost disappeared in the 1950s.

Text author Giedrė Jankevičiūtė

The allegorical composition Morning, painted in the Art Deco style, demonstrates Varnelis’ keen attention to detail, motif and decorativeness. He maintained this focus after emigrating to the United States, where during his first decade he designed church interiors and stained-glass windows. His experiments with abstraction, initially explored in church interiors, soon evolved into independent artworks. These radical shifts in his artistic approach were inspired by the vibrant American art scene, which he followed with great curiosity, particularly the rise of Op Art, Kinetic Art and Minimalism.

Text author Laura Petrauskaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album MORE THAN JUST BEAUTY (2012). Compiler and author Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, ARTISTS ON THE MOVE (2025). Compiler and text author Laura Petrauskaitė
Expositions: “More Than Just Beauty: The Image of Woman in the LAWIN collection”, 12 October – 11 November 2012, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius. Curator Giedrė Jankevičiūtė; "A Glance at the History of Lithuanian Art from Užupis", 30 August 2018 – 1 June 2019, Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curator Giedrė Jankevičiūtė; ‘The Collectible Collector. Artworks of Kazys Varnelis from private collections in Lithuania', 17 May 2023 – 29 October 2023, Kazys Varnelis House-Museum, Vilnius (curator Gabrielė Paškevičiūtė).

One of the few works by Kazys Varnelis (1917–2010) to survive from his early period shows clearly the authority and influence of his teacher Stasys Ušinskas. Morning, like other works by Varnelis that show Ušinskas’ influence, and which were scattered among various Lithuanian collections after the artsist’s departure for Vienna, has for a long time been ascribed to the teacher, and not to the student. At the beginning of the 21st century, Varnelis confirmed his authorship, and explained that Morning was one of the four parts of the series Day and night. The others represented morning, evening and night. The allegory, painted in Kaunas during the war, glorifies strength, élan, energy and youth. These feelings were rather rare in Lithuanian art at that time. The picture is distinguished by its modernity, a style of expression characteristic of Art Deco, which almost disappeared in the 1950s.

Text author Giedrė Jankevičiūtė

The allegorical composition Morning, painted in the Art Deco style, demonstrates Varnelis’ keen attention to detail, motif and decorativeness. He maintained this focus after emigrating to the United States, where during his first decade he designed church interiors and stained-glass windows. His experiments with abstraction, initially explored in church interiors, soon evolved into independent artworks. These radical shifts in his artistic approach were inspired by the vibrant American art scene, which he followed with great curiosity, particularly the rise of Op Art, Kinetic Art and Minimalism.

Text author Laura Petrauskaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album MORE THAN JUST BEAUTY (2012). Compiler and author Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, ARTISTS ON THE MOVE (2025). Compiler and text author Laura Petrauskaitė
Expositions: “More Than Just Beauty: The Image of Woman in the LAWIN collection”, 12 October – 11 November 2012, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius. Curator Giedrė Jankevičiūtė; "A Glance at the History of Lithuanian Art from Užupis", 30 August 2018 – 1 June 2019, Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curator Giedrė Jankevičiūtė; ‘The Collectible Collector. Artworks of Kazys Varnelis from private collections in Lithuania', 17 May 2023 – 29 October 2023, Kazys Varnelis House-Museum, Vilnius (curator Gabrielė Paškevičiūtė).