Liudomiras Slendzinskis: vilnietiškojo neoklasicizmo problema

LTŠio straipsnio tikslas - aptarti neoklasicistinę L. Slendzinskio kūrybą tarpukario Vilniaus meninio gyvenimo fone, plačiau pristatyti anuometinės kritikos laikyseną dailininko bei jo kūrybos atžvilgiu.

ENThe painter Ludomir Sleńdziński, pseudonymous name Ludomir z Wilna Sleńdziński, became a chrestomatic figure of the Polish fine arts history a long time ago. At the same time this name says only little to the lover of art of Lithuania. Ludomir Sleńdziński, a person with deep roots of a Vilnussittee, his creation, and, additionally, the fine arts of the Vilnius region of 1919-1940 are in want for the attention of the researchers of Lithuanian fine arts. The article is aimed at discussing Sleńdziński’ neo-classical creation on the background of the Vilnius artistic life of the interwar period as well as at presenting the attitude of the then art critics towards the painter and his creation. If the need should arise to name the most out-standing artistic individuality of the 3'd-4th decades of this century the name of Sleńdziński ought to be mentioned whose personality constantly would excite the curiosity of art critics the attitude of them being not always favourable towards the painter, and, who was a man of marked individuality and who, partly, has formed the face of the Vilnius Regional fine Arts School which had strong ties with the tradition of the interwar period. Ferdynand Ruszczyć, who distinguished himself by an established ethical prestige, resigned from his artistic activities and devoted himself ultimately to public and pedagogical activities, and a lot of his attention was paid to the organisational matters concerning Steponas Batoras University’s Fine Arts Faculty which was under his wardship. Vytautas Kairiūkštis, a painter of high prestige, was not popular among the members of Polish public in Vilnius. On the background of the moderate and conservative trends of fine arts dominating in Vilnius the individuality of the painter distinguished himself by his vanguard spirit.Sleńdzińskis was not all by himself in fulfilment of his artistic gifts. After the return to Vilnius, in 1920, he felt himself a skilled artist, and in the companship of other like-minded painters such as the sculptor Piotr Hermanowicz, the painters Wacław Czechowicz and Bronisław Jamontt as well as the architect and art critic Stanisław Woźnickij set up the Vilnius plastic art masters’ society and established and edition. In Vilnius, during the interwar period the new classicism was spoken of, and it was presented as a new programme direction straightforwardly, without beating about the bush. The Vilnius painters had an intention to establish a new and peculiar variely of it. Sleńdziński known as the „ideologist of the Vilnius School“ and the presenter of the Vilnius fine arts did not write any theories. The account of his artistic views could be made from some interviews of the then periodicals. He explains the fundamental principals that were important to him as well as to the painters of his circle of that time. The artists of the Vilnius plastic art society united themselves in order to revive the values of monumental fine arts, to get the knowledge from the creation of former masters, to study their techniques and to refer to the precision drawing, generalised form and compositional mastering in their own creation. These principles, particularly, were accepted by one of the society’s trends which called for the revival of the values of classical fine arts name „The Vilnius School“.The three major factors — the conservative artistic environment of Vilnius, the years of study in Petersburg and, at the end, trips throughout Western Europe and Italy, particularly, are those that were of great influence on Sleńdziński’ self-determination to create neo-classical fine arts. As early as 1916 the painter excited the curiosity of art critics when his diploma work „The Greek idyll“ was distinguished by the outstanding Russian painter and art historian Aleksandr Benua. Apparently, it was the time when Sleńdziński gained both ardent supporters as well as fierce opponents of his art. The then art critics devided themselves into two incompatible sides. Responses of the critics reflected not only the attitude towards Sleńdziński neo-traditionalistic Vilnius fine arts but also the aesthetic affection of the critics themselves.