M. K. Čiurlionis: 10 Artworks of the Lithuanian Polymath
M. K. Čiurlionis (1875–1911), a Lithuanian painter and composer, produced an extensive body of work, including over 400 musical compositions and more than 200 paintings, primarily created from 1903 to 1909. His portfolio also features around 40 photographs, 30 graphic pieces, 20 fluorine etchings and monotypes, and over 600 sketches. He began his professional music career in 1901, obtained a music teaching license in 1902, and subsequently focused on painting, blending Symbolism, Abstraction, and Neo-Romanticism. His intellectual interests spanned history, numismatics, astronomy, and theology. A selection of ten significant works, such as Serenity (1903–1904) and Rex (1909), is housed at the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum in Kaunas, Lithuania. This article, authored by museum staff member Greta Katkeviciene, aims to familiarize a broader audience with Čiurlionis.
Key facts
- M. K. Čiurlionis lived from 1875 to 1911.
- He composed over 400 musical pieces and created more than 200 paintings, most between 1903 and 1909.
- He became a professional composer in 1901 and received his music teacher license in 1902.
- His art style combined Symbolism, Abstraction, and Neo-Romanticism.
- He also produced around 40 photos, 30 graphic works, 20 fluorine etchings and monotypes, and over 600 sketches.
- The ten highlighted artworks are Profiles with Accolades (1903), Serenity (1903–1904), Rex. Diptych for Stained Glass (1904), Steps in the Rocks (1905), Sketch for the Curtain of the Opera Jūratė (1908), Sonata no. 6 (Sonata of the Stars) (1908), The Offering (1908), Vignette (Ships) (1909), Rex (1909), and Ships (1909–1910).
- All these works are in the collection of the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum in Kaunas, Lithuania.
- The article was authored by Greta Katkeviciene, an employee of the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum.
Entities
Artists
- M. K. Čiurlionis
- Sofija Kymantaitė
- Eugeniusz Morawski
- Camille Flammarion
- Immanuel Kant
- Pierre Simon-Laplace
- Vincent van Gogh
- Claude Monet
- Anthony van Dyck
- Rembrandt
- Arnold Böcklin
- Greta Katkeviciene
- Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis
- Katsushika Hokusai
Institutions
- M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum
- Mikolas Oginskis Orchestra School
- Warsaw Institute of Music
- Royal Conservatory of Leipzig
- DailyArt Magazine
- National M. K. Čiurlionis Museum of Art
Locations
- Kaunas
- Lithuania
- Plungė
- Warsaw
- Poland
- Leipzig
- Germany
- Anapa
- Russia
- Ukraine
- Kraków
- Czechia
- Austria
- France