Tradicinė žemaičių skulptūra

LTVaizdingą Žemaitijos peizažą su piliakalnių, miškų ir kalvų masyvais, su ežerais, upėmis, kloniais nuo seno puošė pamiškėse, pakelėse ir kryžkelėse, laukuose, prie sodybų, miestelių centruose stovintys kryžiai, koplytėlės, koplytstulpiai, ženklinantys vieną ar kitą atmintiną įvykį, prašymą. Koplytėlėse, koplytstulpiuose po vieną ar grupėmis įkurdinti šventieji, dažniausiai sukurti savamokslio meistro rankomis, kėlė pagarbą, praeiviai prieš juos kėlė kepures, lenkė galvas, o lūpos šnibždėjo maldą. Profesorius Ignas Končius, XX amžiaus pirmoje pusėje keliavęs po Žemaitiją ir registravęs pakelėse stovinčius mažosios architektūros paminklus, teigia, kad vienam pakelės kilometrui jų teko net 1,3. 1912 m. Žemaitijos keliais nuvažiavęs 218 kilometrų, užregistravo 730 paminklų. 1932 m. pakartojęs tą patį maršrutą, surado išlikusius tik 348 objektus, tad per 20 metų pragaišo apie pusę paminklų. Daug medinių paminklų sunyko nuo amžiaus, daug jų buvo nedorų žmonių nugriauta. Ypač negailestingai koplytėlės ir kryžiai buvo naikinami sovietinio ateizmo laikais. Memorialiniai paminklai su šventųjų skulptūromis ypač gausiai statyti XVIII-XIX amžiuje, tuo laikotarpiu, kai lietuvių tauta išgyveno reikšmingus istorinius įvykius. Juos užsakydavo pavieniai žmonės, kaimai ar bendruomenės grupės. Mediniai mažosios architektūros paminklai buvo statomi siekiant apsisaugoti nuo nelaimių, negandų, prašant malonių iš Aukščiausiojo: po karų, sukilimų, ištikus nederliui ar nelaimei - žuvus, mirus šeimos nariui, taip pat džiaugsmingiems įvykiams atminti - gimus ilgai lauktam kūdikiui, įsikūrus naujuose namuose. Jie ženklino atmintinas istorines datas ar įvykius.Todėl koplytėlėse buvo "apgyvendinami" tie šventieji, kurie, kaip tikėta, turėjo galios apsaugoti sodybą, kaimą ar teikti kitas malones. Dažniausiai koplytėlėse buvo įkurdinami Švč. Mergelė Marija, šv. Jurgis, šv. Antanas, šv. Jonas Nepomukas, šv. Juozapas, šv. Rokas, šv. Florijonas, šv. Agota, šv. Barbora, Rūpintojėlis, statyti kryžiai su Nukryžiuotuoju. Nemažai Lietuvos muziejų turi sukaupę turtingus medinės liaudies skulptūros rinkinius. Liaudies skulptūra traukia tyrinėtojų dėmesį. [...] [p. 4].

ENThe picturesque landscape of Samogitia (Žemaitija) dotted with mounds and a vast array of hills, lakes, rivers and valleys has long been enhanced by standing crosses, shrines and pillared shrines erected near forests and at crossroads, by the waysides and in the fields, at homesteads and in the centre of towns to mark memorable events or devotions. Shrines or pillared shrines, "inhabited" by a single or a few figurines of saints, usually made by self-taught artisans, used to evoke a solemn respect; therefore, passers-by used to take off their hats, bow down their heads and worship the Lord. A large number of wooden monuments have deteriorated over the course of time, while others were ruined by wicked people. Particularly harshly shrines and crosses were destroyed during the Soviet era. Memorial monuments with the sculptures of saints were remarkably abundant in the 18th-19th centuries, the period when our nation confronted with significant historic events. They were commissioned by private persons, villages or communities. Wooden monuments of small-scale architecture were built to protect people against disasters and hardship, to ask God for mercy after such calamities as wars, uprisings and privation or at the loss of a family member; they were also erected to commemorate pleasant occasions, such as the birth of a long-awaited baby or moving into a new house. They marked memorable historic dates and events as well. Therefore, shrines were "inhabited" only by saints who, as it was generally believed, had the power to protect homesteads and villages and give other graces to people. Traditionally, shrines housed the following Saints: the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. George, St; Anthony, St. John of Nepomuk, St. Joseph, St. Roch, St. Florian, St. Agatha, St. Barbora, the Pensive Christ and the Crucified Christ.The collection of wooden sculptures of the Samogitian Museum "Alka" includes 940 exhibits: sculptures, bas-relief, standing crosses, altars and shrines. The first exhibit registered into the book of exhibits - the sculpture of St. John of Nepomuk. On the backside of the sculpture there is an inscription: 1849. Numerous sculptures were received from private contributors until 1940. Pranas Genys - the founder and director of the village museum - visited villagers and collected exhibits as well as donations for the museum construction. Samogitians willingly donated the sculptures of saints detected in the remaining dilapidated shrines. After the Second World War the collection of sculptures was supplied with sculptures brought from expeditions and donated by private contributors. The exact date of emerging the sculpture collection covering 74 sculptures has been identified. Usually, a craftsman carved it on the backside of his sculpture. Dates of some sculptures may be inaccurate since they were based on the data provided by their authors. One of the oldest sculptures of the collection - "The Angel" - has the inscription: 1704. The majority of sculptures were made in the first decades of the 19th-20th centuries. The information about god carvers is relatively scarce. Records of sculptures fixed only the names of craftsmen; however, efforts to find more detailed information were fruitless. Only a few craftsmen of the past are provided with in-depth information. Nearly all the sculptures of the collection are poly -chromed. Craftsmen of the past preferred natural dyes rather than oil paint, since they were resistant to water. The prevailing colours were these: white, brown, blue, red, black, green and yellow. Usually, the front side of sculptures was highlighted while the back side was not carved but only rounded off to reduce their sharpness and hollowed out.The theme of the Sorrowful Mother is particularly popular in Lithuanian folk art works. It encompasses two scenes: the Sorrowful Mother (St. Mary is standing alone) and the Pieta (St. Mary is cradling the dead body of Jesus). Both scenes depict a sorrowful Virgin Mary that is expressed through seven daggers piercing her heart. In some craft works the heart is replaced by a cross, while seven daggers stabbing the chest are set around it. The sorrow of the Mother of God is highlighted by tears rolling down her cheeks. According to the requirements of the church iconography, usually St. Mary was depicted wearing a red dress and a dark blue gown. In Lithuanian folk art sculpture St. Virgin of M ercy is depicted standing on the globe with the moon and serpent beneath her feet. Her head is covered in a gown or shawl; quite rarely she wears a crown with a cross; sometimes she is portrayed with her head uncovered and her long hair falling down on her shoulders. A distinctive feature - the rays of grace emerging form her hands. Her gown is blue and her clothing is white, silver, golden or red. This particular theme emerged in the 19th century and it became the most predominant one. The theme of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary became apparent in the 16th century. Its iconographic origins lie in the Apocalypse of St. John: "a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the m oon beneath her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head". In the scene depicting the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mary St.Mary is wrapped in a white robe and a blue gown with a band, standing on the globe and the Serpent and Crescent Moon at her feet. This particular scene was especially popular in Žemaitija and extremely liked by god carvers. [...].