An Artist in the Dunes
An Artist in the Dunes

An Artist in the Dunes

Author: Žmuidzinavičius Antanas, 1876 - 1966

Created: 1943.

Material / technique: oil on cardboard.

Dimensions: 20.5x25.5 cm.

Signature: AŽ. 43 (in the bottom-left corner of the painting); AŽm R: 1165. / Dailininkas kopose 1943 (in the back side of the painting).

Žmuidzinavičius was a passionate traveller, who loved Lithuania unconditionally. Because he was a traveller and a painter, we are reminded of the character of Česlovas Janušas, the famous Lithuanian seascape painter, portrayed in Žmuidzinavičius’ painting Artist in the Dunes (1943). ‘Painter Česlovas Janušas (1907–1993) was one of the most popular Lithuanian seascape painters in pre-war Lithuania and among the Lithuanian diaspora. Larger or smaller water bodies accompanied him throughout his entire life. Charmed by water elements, he devoted most of his career to this attractive and, at first sight, simple yet technically quite complicated genre of painting. The artist maintained, “Why do I like seascapes, why do I continuously paint the sea? Someone will say that this is the easiest thing, but this is what I think: do you want to paint the sea? You must read many books, have some idea about the wind, water, movement, quivering, mechanical forces, and to know why the waves turn, and also to observe the sea, the moon, moonlight, and sunset. (Realism or Abstraction? "Draugas", 1972 02 12).‟ (Jokubavičienė Kristina „The exhibition of painter, marinist Česlovas Janušas (1907-1993, USA) „Prie Baltijos ir prie Atlanto“.).

Reference: Description of the "Meetings" exhibition. - M. K.Čiurlionis National Museum of Art, Kaunas.

Exhibitions:  Exhibition of dr. J. Gumbis art collection “Meetings”, 2015 July 3 – September 6, M. K.Čiurlionis National Museum of Art, Kaunas; Anniversary Exhibition of painter A. Žmuidzinavičius 1956 m., Vilnius – Kaunas; „Antanas Žmuidzinavičius (1876–1966) Retrospective”, 2021 June 11 – September 26, M. K.Čiurlionis National Museum of art, Kaunas;  since 2015 displayed in the permanent exhibition, National M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum, Kaunas.

Published: Art album "The World of Landscapes" (Volume II). Compiled by N. Tumėnienė. Vilnius, LAWIN, 2013, Cat. No. 2, P. 285.