Love song

Although the artistic talent of Ludomir Sleńdziński, the leading exponent of Neoclassicism, was undisputed, there were artists who wanted to move away from his influence, to the point of leaving the Vilnius Society of Artists. The new Society of Independent Artists was formed in 1931. Its members included some rather conservative artists (Eugeniusz Kazimierowski, Marian Kulesza and Piotr Hermanowicz), and some who were inclined towards stylistic innovation, such as Leona Szczepanowiczowa, Waclaw Czechowicz and Jozef Horyd. Unlike in Kaunas, Vilnius artists formed different groups not because of the generation gap, but in an effort to counterbalance the influence of Ludomir Sleńdziński, and to have more freedom for stylistic exploration in their work. However, most of these artists experimented with Neoclassical tendencies at some stage in their careers. For example, Wacław Czechowicz (ca. 1880–after 1965) became famous for his innovative set designs, but his painting Love song, held in the Ellex Valiunas collection, has nothing in common with avant-garde pursuits, and is quite Neoclassical in its style.

Text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album MORE THAN JUST BEAUTY (2012). Compiler and author Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, KAUNAS–VILNIUS / 1918–1945 (2021). Compilers and text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė
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. "Sheets and Splashes. Leisure in 20th and 21st century Lithuanian art", 14 July – 2 October 2022, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius. Curators of the exhibition: Goda Aksamitauskaitė, Eglė Juocevičiūtė, Austėja Tavoraitė.

Although the artistic talent of Ludomir Sleńdziński, the leading exponent of Neoclassicism, was undisputed, there were artists who wanted to move away from his influence, to the point of leaving the Vilnius Society of Artists. The new Society of Independent Artists was formed in 1931. Its members included some rather conservative artists (Eugeniusz Kazimierowski, Marian Kulesza and Piotr Hermanowicz), and some who were inclined towards stylistic innovation, such as Leona Szczepanowiczowa, Waclaw Czechowicz and Jozef Horyd. Unlike in Kaunas, Vilnius artists formed different groups not because of the generation gap, but in an effort to counterbalance the influence of Ludomir Sleńdziński, and to have more freedom for stylistic exploration in their work. However, most of these artists experimented with Neoclassical tendencies at some stage in their careers. For example, Wacław Czechowicz (ca. 1880–after 1965) became famous for his innovative set designs, but his painting Love song, held in the Ellex Valiunas collection, has nothing in common with avant-garde pursuits, and is quite Neoclassical in its style.

Text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album MORE THAN JUST BEAUTY (2012). Compiler and author Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, KAUNAS–VILNIUS / 1918–1945 (2021). Compilers and text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė
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. "Sheets and Splashes. Leisure in 20th and 21st century Lithuanian art", 14 July – 2 October 2022, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius. Curators of the exhibition: Goda Aksamitauskaitė, Eglė Juocevičiūtė, Austėja Tavoraitė.