Address
26 Didzioji St, LT-01128, Vilnius.
Tel. +370-5-2791644.
E-mail:
k.varnelio.muziejus@lnm.lt
The Kazys Varnelis House-Museum is located in the center of Vilnius' Old
Town (Didzioji 26), in the Merchants' Guild building, constructed in the
XVth century.
Information
for visitors
Opening times:
Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Visits by prior arrangement only.
Museum's
collection
The museum contains collections of antique paintings, prints,
sculptures, furniture, maps, books as well as works by Kazys Varnelis.
During his fifty years in the US (1949 - 1998) Kazys Varnelis became
renowned for his paintings of optical and three dimensional illusions
based on geometric abstractions and minimal forms. He has received a
number of top prizes and honors and has had a number of one man and group
shows; his paintings are included in a number of museums - Guggenheim
Museum in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of
Contemporary Art in Detroit, etc. Besides his art work he is an
enthusiastic bibliophile and collector of antiques.
The book collection contains around 7000 volumes, 1500 of them are
bibliophilic items - highlights of private press (Riverside Press,
Chiswick Press, etc.), famous illustrators (Thomas Rowlandson, Thomas
Bewick, etc.), first editions, rare and old books beginning with the XVIth
century. The collection of maps contains more than 150 old maps beginning
with the XVIth century, published by Blaeu, Gastaldi, Homann, etc.
In the collection of prints we find works by Dürer, Piranesi, Goya,
Callot, Goltzius and others. The work of early Renaissance master Matteo
di Giovanni is the adornment of the collection of paintings. The
collection of Renaissance furniture is the biggest in Lithuania. The
entire collection of furniture represents different styles and periods of
history of furniture up to the XXth century.
Works by Sir Francis L. Chantrey, Frederic Remington and a statue from the
workshop of Donatello are the highlights of the collection of sculptures.
Italian Renaissance majolica is represented by beautiful vases from the
workshop of Domenico Veneziano. The collection of Oriental art containing
prints by Ukiyo school and a unique woodcut "The Life of Buddha"
from XIVth century is the most extensive in Lithuania.
Unity between old architecture with gothic vaults, antique furniture, old
maps, prints, sculptures and modern paintings by Kazys Varnelis forms a
unique ensemble which makes this museum attractive and original.
Text from http://www.lnm.lt
