kazys varnelis house-museum

Contacts
Address: Didžioji g. 26, LT-01128 Vilnius.
Tel. (+370 ~ 5) 279 16 44.
E-mail: k.varnelio.muziejus@lnm.lt
http://www.lnm.lt/

Information for Visitor

Opening hours:
Tuesday – Saturday 10–16.

Admission:
free of charge.

About the Museum
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