Exhibition "Čiurlionis and His Contemporaries in the First Lithuanian Art Exhibition," May 20–September 20, 2025

At the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, in the former P. Vileišis Palace, the Lithuanian public saw M. K. Čiurlionis' painting and graphic compositions for the first time. The first exhibition of Lithuanian art was opened at the turn of 1906–1907, but its organizers gathered here for meetings since mid-autumn. In one of them, the artist got acquainted with the nucleus of the awakeners of Lithuanian culture, where his social activities in Vilnius began.

We invite you to visit Vilnius, Antakalnio St. 6, in the front of the building, in the hall on the first floor, where the gallery of works of M. K. Čiurlionis and his contemporaries will be illuminated on the walls, accompanied by a conversation between the organizers of the exhibition. M. K. Čiurlionis' debut in Lithuania was vivid – did the press properly evaluate him? You will be surprised by the works of A. Žmuidzinavičius, brought from Paris, and the works of other participants of the exhibition, sent from Munich, Warsaw, Liepaja, Ventspils and other cities. Of the almost 450 works exhibited at that time, about half occupied the folk art department.

The projections on the three walls of the hall are complemented by an exposition of documents, artifacts, photographs, and publications of the First Lithuanian Art Exhibition. You will find out who participated in the opening, what J. Basanavičius said and corrected in the manuscript of the public speech, who visited the exhibition, how much the tickets cost, where the catalogues and posters were printed, you will have the opportunity to find out whether the note in Lithuanian with the autograph of M. K. Čiurlionis is written by himself, etc.

During the First Lithuanian Art Exhibition, the statutes of the Lithuanian Art Society were formulated. The exhibitions and competitions organized by this organization, the Čiurlionis Company was founded, the art collection was collected, and the idea of the National Museum was cherished became the basis for the establishment of our national cultural institutions.