Michał Kulesza

The painter Michał Kulesza is one of the most famous representatives of the Vilnius School of Art, although very few of his works have survived and we know about the artist primarily from the 19 th century. publications.   The future artist was born in the noble family of Mykolas and Teresė Monkevičiūtė Kulieš, in 1799. November 26 (according to the Julian calendar) he was baptized in the Bernardine Church of Vilnius with the name of Mykolas Aleksander Peter. Studied at Troškūnai Bernardine School, later at Vilnius Gymnasium, where drawing was taught by Jonas Damelis. in 1816 studied art privately with professor Jonas Rustem, and from 1818 already mentioned as a student of Vilnius University (in addition to various art disciplines, he attended French and Russian literature and history lectures). Already during his studies, his inclination towards the landscape became evident. in 1820 in the exhibition of student works, he exhibited two copies of the landscapes created by Rustem next to his sketches, and in the next year's exhibition, he impressed the audience with his moody sunrise and sunset landscapes. In 1823 he was awarded the degree of candidate of arts.   1823-1824 was arrested during the investigation of the Philomat case, but not convicted. 1824-1825 lived and worked as a home teacher in the estate of Jeronimo Drucki - Lubecki Lunin. in 1829 after receiving a drawing teacher's patent, from 1837 successively worked at Kražiai and Gardin gymnasiums, from 1844. until his death, he was a drawing teacher at Baltstogė gymnasiums and (from 1845) at the Baltstogė Institute for Noble Girls. The artist died in Baltstoge in 1863. November 21 (according to the Julian calendar), left a widow Ona, a daughter Amelia and a son Alfons (Dr (hp) Rūta Janonienė).