Project for the monument to Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania

A number of artists fled Lithuania during the Second World War, along with other intellectuals. While the majority were painters and graphic artists, the few sculptors among them found the most favourable conditions to make a significant contribution to shaping public spaces in the resurgent Lithuania. In 1990, Vytautas Kašuba participated in the second competition to create a monument to Grand Duke Gediminas, the founder of Vilnius. According to the original concept, the sculpture of Gediminas was to be placed against the backdrop of Castle Hill, facing the main street in the old city connecting the grand ducal residence with the Gates of Dawn. The outstretched hands of the grand duke were meant to convey a gesture of blessing for the city, symbolising the sculptor’s intention to immortalise Gediminas as both the peaceful founder of Vilnius and a successful diplomat.

Text author Laura Petrauskaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album THE ART OF MATERIALS (2024). Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė, ARTISTS ON THE MOVE (2025). Compiler and text author Laura Petrauskaitė

A number of artists fled Lithuania during the Second World War, along with other intellectuals. While the majority were painters and graphic artists, the few sculptors among them found the most favourable conditions to make a significant contribution to shaping public spaces in the resurgent Lithuania. In 1990, Vytautas Kašuba participated in the second competition to create a monument to Grand Duke Gediminas, the founder of Vilnius. According to the original concept, the sculpture of Gediminas was to be placed against the backdrop of Castle Hill, facing the main street in the old city connecting the grand ducal residence with the Gates of Dawn. The outstretched hands of the grand duke were meant to convey a gesture of blessing for the city, symbolising the sculptor’s intention to immortalise Gediminas as both the peaceful founder of Vilnius and a successful diplomat.

Text author Laura Petrauskaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album THE ART OF MATERIALS (2024). Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė, ARTISTS ON THE MOVE (2025). Compiler and text author Laura Petrauskaitė