The courtyard of the Bishops’ Palace

Series ‘Old Vilnius’, 1926, fascicle II.

There used to be a corps de garde, the headquarters of military guards, in the spacious yard of the governor-general’s residence, converted from the Bishops’ Palace in the 19th century. The only such structure in Lithuania, built in the Late Classical style between 1825 and 1832, it was designed by the Russian architect Vasily Stasov, who also adapted the old Palace as the governor-general’s residence. The corps de garde building, with colonnade, completes the curved courtyard, but in Hoppen’s etching it forms only the lower part of the view. The sturdy buildings above it, and the walls and dome of the Dominican Church, give an impression of an old, stately city, which is reinforced by the balanced composition and the low viewpoint.

Text author Laima Laučkaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album VILNIUS. TOPOPHILIA II (2015). Compiler and author Laima Laučkaitė, KAUNAS–VILNIUS / 1918–1945 (2021). Compilers and text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė
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); "1918-1945 / Kaunas-Vilnius", 27 August 2020 – 21 August 2021, Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curators Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė. ‘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.

Series ‘Old Vilnius’, 1926, fascicle II.

There used to be a corps de garde, the headquarters of military guards, in the spacious yard of the governor-general’s residence, converted from the Bishops’ Palace in the 19th century. The only such structure in Lithuania, built in the Late Classical style between 1825 and 1832, it was designed by the Russian architect Vasily Stasov, who also adapted the old Palace as the governor-general’s residence. The corps de garde building, with colonnade, completes the curved courtyard, but in Hoppen’s etching it forms only the lower part of the view. The sturdy buildings above it, and the walls and dome of the Dominican Church, give an impression of an old, stately city, which is reinforced by the balanced composition and the low viewpoint.

Text author Laima Laučkaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album VILNIUS. TOPOPHILIA II (2015). Compiler and author Laima Laučkaitė, KAUNAS–VILNIUS / 1918–1945 (2021). Compilers and text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė
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); "1918-1945 / Kaunas-Vilnius", 27 August 2020 – 21 August 2021, Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curators Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė. ‘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.