Lietuvos Liuteronų Bažnyčios inicijuotos diskusijos dėl Kristijono Donelaičio portreto 1964 m. spaudoje

LTStraipsnyje aprašomos Lietuvos Liuteronų Bažnyčios pastangos pristatyti visuomenei pirmąjį žinomą Kristijono Donelaičio portretą, publikuotą 1932 m. liuteronų laikraštyje Srovė. 1964 m. žurnale Švyturys ir laikraštyje Literatūra ir menas jį atspausdinę žurnalistai portretą pristatė kaip galimai autentišką. Vėliau paaiškėjo, kad portretas tėra tik geranoriškas dailininko Petro Kalpoko šaržas. Šio straipsnio autorius daro prielaidą, kad Kalpoko „žemaičio veido“ Donelaitis galėjo įtakoti vėlesnę poeto portreto ikonografiją. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Burkevičius, Vilhelmas; Donelaitis, Kristijonas; Evangelikų liuteronų bažnyčia; K. Donelaitis; Kalpokas, Petras; Kristijonas Donelaitis; Liuteronų bažnyčia; Petras Kalpokas; Portretai; Portretas; Tolminkiemis; Burkevičius, Vilhelmas; Donelaitis, Kristijonas; K. Donelaitis; Kalpokas, Petras; Kristijonas Donelaitis; Lithuania; Lutheran Church; Petras Kalpokas; Portrait; Portraits; Tolminkiemis.

ENIn 1964, on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Kristijonas Donelaitis, Lithuanian Lutheran pastors were determined to take steps to ensure that they would have their proper say in its commemoration. Mikas Preikšams, Jurgis Gavėnis, and Jonas Armonaitis addressed Soviet Lithuanian institutions insisting that Donelaitis should no longer be referred to as a “Pastorius”, since this term was never used by the Lutheran Church in the Lithuanian language and had derogatory connotations. Instead, a more proper term “Kunigas” should be used. They received no response. Another step was taken by Consistory Chairman Vilhelmas Burkevičius who provided journalists with information about the first known portrait of Donelaitis and the story of its creation. He reported that the portrait first appeared in the pages of the Lutheran patriotic newspaper Srovė in 1932. It was created by an unknown artist who was said to have drawn it according to the memories of senior residents of Tolminkiemis. The portrait was republished in the Soviet Lithuanian magazines, Švyturys and Literatūra ir menas, along with information provided by Kristupas Gudaitis who told this story to Burkevičius.It was not until 1967, when publisher Leonas Gudaitis found a copy of the portrait in a publication that predated its appearance in Srovė, that the true story of the origin of the portrait came to light. Gudaitis discovered that the artist was Petras Kalpokas. Ksaveras Urbonavičius, a member of the editorial board of the now defunct journal, Mūsų rytojus, revealed the true story of its origin. He recalled that the article on Donelaitis was ready for print, but there was no picture to accompany it. Kazys Binkis, a well-known author of humorous verse, suggested to Kalpokas that he simply take a picture of the face of a typical Samogitian man and add a talar and beffehen, such as were worn by Lutheran priests, and this would be his Donelaitis. In the opinion of the author of the paper, the majority of popular drawings and pictures of Donelaitis created since that time have been influenced to a greater or lesser extent by this “Samogitian” Donelaitis by Petras Kalpokas. [From the publication]