Vilnius Picture Gallery
In 1994, Vilnius Picture Gallery opened its door in the Chodkevicius Mansion, offering viewers its first permanent exhibition of Lithuanian art from XVI-XIX centuries. However, a comprehensive and systematic presentation of the development of Lithuanian art over decades needed a thorough rethinking and validation of the place, of individual artists, stylistic epochs, genres, trends and movements. The Lithuanian Museum of Art carried out this work beautifully, organizing the following exhibitions of national and international significance through the years 1996-2000:
"Baroque Art" (1996) – a part of the Council of Europe cultural routes programme "Baroque Route in Lithuania";
"The Art of Lithuanian Cloisters" (1996) – a part of the Council of Europe cultural routes programme "Monastic Route in Lithuania";
"Jonas Kazimieras Vilcinskis and his Publications" (1997);
"Lithuanian Art from 1907 until 1914" (1997);
"Vilnius Art Society in the years 1908 -1915" (1997);
"Vilnius Classicism" – a part of the Council of Europe campaign "Europe – a Common Heritage" (2000).
These exhibitions featured mostly works offered for public attention for the first time after their restoration. The exhibition of the year 1994 and the subsequent national and international thematic exhibitions evolved into a comprehensive and multifaceted exhibition encompassing Lithuanian art from XVI till early XX centuries. The new exhibition represents the development of Lithuanian art as a permanent programme fostering national art. The authors of the exhibition are Romualdas Budrys, Laima Bialopetraviciene and Dalia Tarandaite.
The display is a combination of historic interiors of the Chodkevicius Mansion and exhibition rooms featuring Lithuanian art from XVI – early XX centuries. The exhibition reveals the course of Lithuanian art in a comprehensive and consistent manner, also including the cultural revival at the turn of the XX century and first exhibitions of Lithuanian art. From the beginning, the exhibition (besides highlighting the architectural beauty of the Chodkevicius Mansion and of the artworks displayed) was intended to capture the spirit of Vilnius in the first half of the XIX century and to introduce renowned Vilnius personalities who significantly contributed to Lithuanian culture. The main body of the exhibition reveals the development of Lithuanian art in a chronological order. The display is extended by the works of the artists of the second half of the XIX century, who were left out from the previous 1994 exhibition; the collection of all Vilnius painters of the XIX century is also much closer to being complete this time. The exhibition is renewed and expanded by new pieces annually. Since year 2000, the Chodkevicius Mansion hosted a number of movable exhibitions. The interior décor and the art works displayed in the rooms of the mansion provided the organisers of these events with an ideal setting to realise their ideas.
Interiors in the Classical style
Several rooms, dedicated to the exhibition, feature furniture and other artefacts of the Classical style from the collections of the Lithuanian Art Museum. The display is changed annually, thus providing visitors with an opportunity to see different exhibits from the Museum’s collection.
Contact information:
Address: Didžioji St. 4, LT-01128, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Tel./fax (+370 5) 212 08 41; (+370 5) 212 42 58.
E-mail: galerija@ldm.lt