Istorinė tematika senojoje Lietuvos grafikoje

ENLithuania was the last country in Europe, which adopted Christianity, so the European historical development of self consciousness was rather late and directly had an influence on the situation of the historical art’s development. Only in the end of the 16th — begin, of the 17th cc. in Lithuania create the preconditions for historical theme to act artistic image and little by little form corresponding iconography. But without official historiography in the state, under the influence of ideology of contrreformation and sarmatism the absoliut majority of art’s users does not form the deeper understanding of own history; flourishes the emblemic graphic and sarmatic portrait, history and real aspirations of governing is represented by magnates and their relatives donated literature and art. It is noticed in some monuments of the 17th c. book graphic art: in Jonušas Skuminas Tiškevičius panegyric (1641) illustrated by Konrod Gótke, graphic artist of Sweedish origin, in frontispise to Trakai governer P. Pacas dedicated panegyric Decora lilieti... Petri Pac (1642) by Jonas Šlionskis (Šlęski), in illustration of publication Fama Radviliana (1643) in panegyric Septem Chodkiewicii heroes... (1642) by Petras Kazimieras Lackis, in illustration to M. K. Sarbievijus’ poem Sacra Lithotesis... (1621) by unknown artist and Tureckich у inflantskich woien... (1622) by P. Malkontas.In local graphic art parallelly is noticed battle theme or the plot of historical genre. The example is Tomas Makovskis (cycle of compositions, devoted to the Lithuanian army’s fight with the Sweedish army in Livonia (1604) and Laurynas Kščonovičius’ (illustration to panegyric Virtus dextere domini (1674) creative works. Unfortunatelly the number of the Lithuanian graphic works of the 17th c. is comperativelly small, that shows the historical theme beeing too rear. But the need of historical art in elite layers exsisted inviting the artists from abroad. That shows the activity of two aristocrats maecenates — Jonušas Radvila and Kristupas Zigmantas Pacas.