The Image of Nobleman in the 19th Century Lithuanian Art Cover Image

Bajoro Įvaizdis XIX A. Lietuvos Dailėje
The Image of Nobleman in the 19th Century Lithuanian Art

Author(s): Aušrinė Kulvietytė-Cemnolonskė
Subject(s): Cultural history, Visual Arts, Semiology, Aesthetics, 19th Century
Published by: Visuomeninė organizacija »LOGOS«
Keywords: noblemen; Lithuanian art of the 19th century; portrait; genre art; kontusz; identity signs of noblemen;

Summary/Abstract: This article analyzes the representation of noblemen in the nineteenth century Lithuanian art. While this time is not the flowering of this social class, the visual language on this theme is the most impressive. Questions discussed are: what was the evolution of portraits of noblemen, what were the visual signs of noblemen’s identity, what peculiarities of noblemen’s lifestyle are shown in genre painting, how much does genre painting represent the reality of the nineteenth century and provide scenes that show the values of the mentality of noblemen? Another one important line of the research is to reveal the historical discourse of the noblemen’s situation in the nineteenth century and to show its interplay with visual artistic language. The research has shown that in the thematic level of the pictures, the political inactivity and stagnation of noblemen is revealed. This inactivity has historical causality. In the most of the scenes, the various forms of their leisure is represented, while a politically active life, especially their activities in sejmiki, is performed only in a historical past. Visually, another historical reality is given expression: the mental transformation of noblemen from their exceptional inborn rights to an emphasis of the importance of education and intelligence in this sense. These signs are noticeable in portraits with exceptional marks, such as kontusz suit and coat of arms, to the intimate portraits with only individual features of the person and not with any reference to social class. Also, this change is artistically visible in portraits depicting noblemen at leisure with a book in their hands.

  • Issue Year: 2015
  • Issue No: 85
  • Page Range: 101-107
  • Page Count: 7
  • Language: Lithuanian