| Abstract [eng] |
Trees and forests are a widely developed theme in the fine arts all over the world. The tree can be represented as the main character of a piece of art or as a fragment of another genre, a background. The paper presents two Šiauliai artists, in whose works the tree is a dominant character. In the paintings of Vytautas Tribandis (1942-2009), the tree and groups of trees are treated in a generalised way as an inseparable part of nature; it is nature that gives the artist his inspiration. His painting techniques have been developed in the nature and by nature, which allowed revealing its beauty and vitality. Such quiet, serene process of painting hides expressive opportunities, rich with a wide rage of colours and moods; it produces the world of paintings which is fragile and fi rm at the same time. The paintings invite the viewer to “enter” this simple but also mysterious world of trees and forests, to experience being part of it. V.Tribandis’ forest and tree is the background of Lithuania, an inseparable sign of the existence of the nation and the state. The image of an oak-tree as a symbol of the lost homeland inspired Antanas Krištopaitis’ (1921-2011) imagination and aspirations. The whole drama of his life (the artist spent 17 years in exile and labour camps in Siberia) made him close to Lithuanian history and nature, to the theme of oak-trees. There are a lot of trees in Lithuania, linked with the names of famous people, with historic events, various uprisings, etc. These huge trees mark villages, attract attention of passers- by and remain in people’s minds for a long time becoming the symbols of home and homeland. There are about two hundred paintings with oak-trees and other historic trees in the collection of paintings of this artist. Krištopaitis makes the tree individual, he conveys its history, he paints a portrait of the tree and identifies himself with the tree. [...]. |
