Kazys Šimonis Sadness

Kazys Šimonis (1887-1978)
Sadness
1940s, pop., pastel, 42,5 × 37
Sign. AD: KŠ

Kazys Šimonis (1887-1978) was one of the most prominent Lithuanian artists of the first half of the 20th century, a pioneer of modernism, who combined a national worldview and new trends in European art in his art. He was born in the village of Kudinų in Panevėžys District, into a family of peasants, and became interested in drawing in his childhood. Although he did not have a systematic artistic education at an early age, he later studied at the F. Molochov School of Painting in Moscow and at the studio of P. K. Vasiliev, where he became acquainted with modernist artistic ideas. In 1919 Šimonis settled in Kaunas, which became the most important centre of his work. He worked as an art teacher, lecturer at the Kaunas School of Art, and museum keeper, and was active in the activities of Lithuanian artists, organising exhibitions and working in various genres.
Šimonis's work is characterised by geometric form, decorativeness and a distinctive "architecture of light", which he created using compositions of triangles, edges and stepped structures. His works feature fantastic images of cities and castles, mythological motifs, visions of nature, and striking effects of colour and light. Having become one of the most original Lithuanian modernists, Šimonis combined elements of Cubism, Expressionism and Symbolism with the atmosphere of the Lithuanian spirit and fairy tale. In addition to painting and printmaking, he created book illustrations, vignettes, bookplates, ex-libris, posters, and worked consistently in the field of theatre set design. With his creative legacy, preserved in Lithuanian museums and private collections, Šimonis became a significant figure who enriched national art and left a distinctive interpretation of modernism, which blends fantasy, tradition and modern form.