Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis was a Lithuanian artist. A painter, composer, and writer. -Born: September 22, 1875 -Active Years: 1900-1911 -Art Genres: Art Nouveau, symbolism and abstract

Here is a quick brief of the artist and some analysis of his artworks. During his short career, he was successful in his field. He is considered to be a pioneer in abstract art in Europe. In his short career, Ciurlonis, has produced over 300 paintings, 400 music pieces, and many other literary works and poems. His work has been a profound influence on the modern Lithuanian Culture. His paintings are of symbolic and Christian in nature. The paintings overall are uniquely abstract that need boundless analysis to understand the work.

In 1902, he lived in Warsaw, where he studied drawing at an art school, in Warsaw School of fine art. He studied there from 1902-06. He only professionally painted for just 8 years. The artist mostly painted in series, together telling a story. A couple of those series are The Creation of the World and Sonata of the Sun.

For the duration of his early career, in 1907, he became an initiator and one of the participants at the first exhibition of Lithuanian art in Vilnius, the capital city. There he showed some of the more well-known works including, Creation of the World and Storm Cycle. shortly after the event, he and 18 other artists participated in the Society of Lithuanian Art. This is where he was elected as an executive board member. Amid this height of his career, Ciurlionis produced over 50 paintings and completed an orchestration of the symphonic poem of the sea. Around this time in 1909, he had also been to St. Petersburg a few times to present his artwork there.

His art piece (above) The Creation of the World XI is part of a series of paintings painted between 1905-06. It’s in the genre of symbolism. Made on paper, tempera, the size of 36.7x 30.1 cm. This painting does not depict the story of the creation of the world but rather a fantastical one. This painting consists of light colours and images taking up the whole canvas, using up positive space. Personally, I think the painting has a sense of familiarity, as the colours are subdued.

This painting on the left is called Fairy Tale of Kings, painted in 1909. It’s in the style of symbolism in the genre mythological painting. This depicts of the king on the left, holding what looks like to be a farm in his palm, and the other king contemplating it, as he is leaning on his sword, whilst they’re surrounded by a forest. Both of the kings are mostly in dark shadow, as the only light source coming from is the farmstead. The artist may have done this because, most of the Lithuania’s literature, art and stories come from small villages like the one in the king’s palm. The colours used are dark, giving a moody and dark atmosphere yet comforting. Depicting the kings that way may also imply that they are the creators of the world.

This is a painting called Scherzo, part of a series called Sonata of the Sun. made in 1907. Genre, is landscape in the style of symbolism. It’s made on paper, tempera. The dimensions are 60.3 by 57 cm. The painting is depicting a landscape of a mythical city. There are lots of butterflies seen to be flying upwards. The life there seems to be vivid, as reflected in the use of bright green. There is a feeling of good mood, flowing through the city landscape.