Exhibition of valuable articles, either donated or else wise obtained, and designated for the soon-to-be newly restored Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania Since July 6, 2008 – exposition of exhibits for the restored Palace of the Drand Dukes of litjuania acquired and donated in 2007–2008 >>>
Fragments of the exposition

 

On the grounds of the Palace of the Grand Dukes, at Vilnius’s Lower Castle, a medieval, walled castle could be found from the 13^th to the 15^th centuries. Residential buildings were located alongside the castle – buildings, which suited the needs of the grand duke and his court. For nearly two-hundred years, the palace was a residence of the grand duke – as were also Vilnius’s Upper Castle and the castles of Trakai. Records indicate that when Vytautas the Great visited the city of Vilnius at the beginning of the 15^th century, Lithuanian rulers had already been residing at the Lower Castle.

Later, at the end of the 15^th and the beginning of the 16^th century, a newer, more spacious residence was built. In the following centuries, the residence was subsequently rebuilt several times, as rulers attempted to meet the needs of the changing times. From the 16^th century till the mid-17^th century, the palace was ransacked by the Moscow’s raiding armies during the “Great Deluge”. Yet, during this time the palace managed to be the main residence of not only the grand dukes of Lithuania – but also quite often the kings of Poland –for one and a half centuries. It became the political, diplomatic, administrative, as well as cultural center for both the state and its people. It was also here, where precedent was to be set for rules of etiquette across the land.

Little is know of what the castle’s interior may have looked like in its earlier days. Records indicate that during the reign of Vytautas (1392/1401–1430), that the palace hall was most likely lined with wooden panels and contemporary gothic décor. As the times progressed new, stylistic changes were introduced:

- During the reign of Alexander, the late-Gothic style was most likely prevalent,

- Later, during the reigns of Sigismund the Old and Sigismund Augustus, the castle underwent reconstruction as a result of the Renaissance,

- Rulers of the Vasa Dynasty brought further changes to the interior as they introduced the more modern styles of Mannerism and Early Baroque.

When the Palace of the Grand Dukes is opened in 2009, exhibits will feature the styles above in both their historical as well as functional contexts. Exhibits will not only be limited to stationary interiors, but also include a tremendous variety of furniture, tapestries, sculptures, ceramics and other works. (Similar works had been transported to the palace by the rulers of Poland and Lithuania as they moved from one residence to another.)

It is well known that during the reign of Alexander (1492–1506) the palace halls contained many splendid fabrics. Alexander was a patron of the arts, expanded the coffers of the treasury and bought books to add to his own personal library. The last of the Gediminas-Jogaila (Gediminid-Jagiello) dynasty, Sigismund the Old (1506–1548) and his son, Sigismund Augustus (1544/1548–1572), had incredibly refined tastes. During their reigns, the two obtained great works of art from Western Europe (e. g. Flemish tapestries, some of which can still be found in Wawel Castle, Krakow). Bona Sforza, who was the wife of Sigismund the Old and had been brought up in the courts of Naples and Milan, also had a significant influence on the interior furnishings of the palace.

At the time of the Renaissance, most of the walls were adorned with tapestries, but soon paintings began to find their ways throughout the palace. A portrait gallery featuring foreign rulers, Sigismund Augustus’s magnificent library – renowned across the Continent, the Lithuanian treasury, a splendid collection of armor and weapons as well as great collection of hunting trophies could all be found at the palace.

During the reigns of Sigismund Vasa (1587–1632) and Ladislaus Vasa (1632–1648), the palace interiors began to change, acquiring characteristics of the early Baroque period. Historically themed paintings, created by the greatest artists of Italy, Flanders, Holland and Germany, hung on the vaulted ceilings and walls. During the time of the Vasa Dynasty, the Palace of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes became extremely modern and luxurious. It was well suited for the requirements of court ceremonies, while at the same time the palace reflected the military and political aspirations of the Commonwealth’s rulers.

Unfortunately, in the mid-17^th century, after the devastation inflicted by Moscow’s army, the palace interiors were never redone. The palace was never again to serve as the Palace of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes. Around the turn of the 19^th century, it was completely destroyed at the initiative of the Tsar’s administrative government so that all signs of the Lithuanian Grand Duchy would be erased. (Nonetheless, archeologists have found many pieces of the palace’s interior décor, giving us some insight to how the palace should be renewed, e. g. fragments of hall floors, wall decorations, stained-glass windows, and door frames).

In the mid-17^th century, the Palace of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes were plundered and sacked. Little remained of what had originally been inside. After Lithuania and Poland had lost their sovereignty in the 18^th century, many artifacts throughout the Commonwealth were lost. Their fate is unknown: some may have been destroyed over the years, others have found their way to places across the globe.

A hundred years ago, efforts were made to reconstruct the interiors of Royal Castle of Wawel, which had been laid to waste by the Austrians. There, experts were able reconstruct the residence so that it would accurately depict the chambers and halls of the
late-Jogaila and Vasa dynasties. The same was done to Warsaw’s Royal Palace after the Second World War. And now, after only fifteen years of independence, Lithuania has nearly completed restoring the Palace of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes. The palace will reflect Lithuania’s Golden Age, permitting everyone interested in our past to have an equal opportunity of understanding our rich history.

In 2005 certain criteria were established in the procurement of art for the soon-to-be newly restored Palace of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes. Based on these same criteria, a number of works of art were obtained: they include furniture, tapestries, paintings, sculptures, as well as ceramics. First and foremost, experts searched for works native to Lithuania, which could be directly associated with the rulers of Lithuania and Poland. At the same time, other criteria were also taken into consideration, such as the work’s chronological significance, artistic merits and geographical origins. When selecting and obtaining works of art, experts from Lithuania and abroad provided a great deal of assistance. By July 6, 2006, 123 works of art had already been procured. One-hundred and fourteen (114) works of art were obtained through allocations of the Lithuanian state budget. The Palace Restoration Foundation acquired five tapestries, one painting and one piece of furniture. Dr. Tomasz Niewodniczański, a private collector and connoisseur of the arts, donated an etching of Sigismund Augustus, based on a then-contemporary drawing. Valentinas Ramonis, a well-known Lithuanian émigré, and his wife, Lile, donated an F. Piranesi etching, which over two centuries ago had been dedicated to Stanislaus August Poniatowski, the last grand duke of Lithuania and the last king of Poland.

All historical artifacts, which will adorn the interior of the Palace of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes, were put on display at Museum of Applied Arts on July 6, 2005. Over the past year, the exhibition has grown to incorporate newly obtained artifacts. The exhibition’s organizers are the National Art Museum of Lithuania and the Palace Restoration Foundation. Romualdas Budrys is the exhibition’s original designer.

At the exhibition, there are a total of 12 tapestries from Flanders and France from the 16^th to 18^th centuries. The tapestries reflect the styles of collections of both Sigismund Augustus’s and the earlier Vasa dynasty. The exhibition boasts a wide array of furniture ­– a total of almost 50 pieces. The earliest piece is a chest from the late-Gothic period. One of the most valuable pieces of Renaissance pieces is an armchair from the duke of Burgundy. An early-Baroque wardrobe, characterized by its subtle designs, was once the property of the Farnese Family. At the exhibition, twenty elaborately decorated cassapancas (chest-benches) and cassones (large chests) can also be found; they were commonly found throughout Europe from the 16^th to 17^th centuries. The exhibition also includes a number of paintings and metal works of art. Although most artifacts within the Palace of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes are masterpieces unto themselves, they as a whole are meant to illustrate what the palace’s interior may have looked like.

The exhibition does not feature everything that has been obtained. Some objects are currently under restoration at the National Art Museum’s Pranas Gudynas’s Center for Restoration. Restored works of art will later be added to the exhibition. In 2009 all works will adorn the newly rebuilt halls and their interiors of the Palace of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes.