An Introduction to Czeslaw Znamierowski (1890-1977)

Czeslaw Znamierowski was a renowned Soviet Lithuanian painter whose large body of work spanned from the 1920s until the 1970s. During his fifty-year career, he painted over 1,400 landscapes, drew over 800 sketches, and completed over 3,000 artworks. His work is particularly regarded for its featuring of stunning landscapes, some of which cover canvases larger than 8 feet by 4 feet. His art is classified as Socialist Realism, an art style that flourished in Soviet states between 1932 and 1988, characterized by its relatively realistic – yet highly idealized – portrayal of all subject matter in a light favorable to the political doctrine of socialism.  

Znamierowski was born in Zatišje, Ludza, in eastern Latvia to Lithuanian parents in 1890, when Latvia was effectively ruled by Soviet Russia, despite German attempts to control the region. During Znamierowski’s early childhood, Latvia underwent Russianization under the USSR—a form of cultural assimilation intended to marginalize the German and Latvian cultural elements and replace it with Soviet Russian dominance.

By the time Znamierowski was an adult, he had become a member of the Artists’ Union of the USSR, which consisted of other high-profile artists such as Artur Fonvizin and Konstantin Vialov. Due to his affiliation with socialist political movements in Russia, Znamierowski and his work have demonstrated a growing appeal to collectors in foreign markets who hold similar political affinities, particularly China, where his work is reported to have sold for as high as $120,000.

METRO NEWS: Soviet painting by Czeslaw Znamierowski sold in China for $120,000

Znamierowski’s Education

Znamierowski’s father was a land surveyor, and his mother was a music teacher. Although he was born into a poor working-class family, he received an education.

Between 1912-1917, Znamierowski attended the St. Petersburg Academy of Art twice before attending Vilnius University from 1926 to 1929. During his studies, he was influenced by other Soviet painters such as Ferdynand Ruszczyc, Arkady Rylov, Isaac Levitan, and Nicholas Roerich.

Znamierowski’s Place in The Russian Revolution

Znamierowski was also largely influenced by the chaotic political unrest happening around him. Having grown up with little money in a Soviet country, Znamierowski’s loyalties lay with socialist values. Towards the end of his education in St. Petersburg, known as Petrograd during his time there, the Russian Revolution put socialists in power, and Znamierowski fervently supported the change.

Znamierowski was not removed from the chaotic political scene. In fact, his studies were cut short by the unrest in October 1917. In his own words, he stated, “I could not be indifferent to what was happening,” for “I was in danger of being executed. I barely saved my life. I faced possible imprisonment; however, this couldn’t hold me from continuing to take action.”

Czeslaw Znamierowski – Multicultural Artist from the Soviet Union

Previously, the Russian Empire had been led by the Tsars, but after the major losses of WWI, Tsar Nicholas II stepped down as the Russian Army fell into mutiny. In 1917, after a period of unrest and multiple revolts around the then capital, Petrograd, the Russian Provisional Government (which prioritized capitalist and aristocratic values) fell to the Bolsheviks, socialists led by Vladimir Lenin.

The socialists were able to come into power with the support of the lower classes and the left-leaning urban middle class, which included Czeslaw Znamierowski. Lenin’s campaign for power focused on ending Russia’s participation in WWI, giving land to low-income workers, and providing food to urban workers. In 1918, the world’s first official socialist state signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The federal government practiced soviet democracy for several years; however, unrest continued as several opposing factions pushed back against the Bolsheviks.

Once the unrest was settled, the Bolsheviks became the Communist Party and unified several other once-independent countries into the USSR.

Znamierowski left Petrograd after the revolts, returning to Latvia, where he assumed an active part in establishing the Soviet government while still painting and participating in art galleries. He finally settled in Lithuania after his studies at Vilnius University, continuing his artistic, social, and political activities.

Znamierowski’s Response to WWII

WWII broke out in 1941, while Znamierowski was living in Lithuania. He helped with the war efforts to defend Lithuania against Germany, and he continued to find solace in painting amidst the most difficult times.

Znamierowski always supported Vladimir Lenin and his communist values. In 1970, Znamierowski said, “My motto has always been Lenin’s principle, that art is for the people and must be widely comprehensible by all.”

Znamierowski’s Political Philosophy: How Communism and Socialism Influenced His Art

Although Znamierowski lived through other art movements, including cubism, impressionism, and art nouveau, these more intellectual art forms did not align with his personal belief that art, with no exception to his own, should not be hoarded by society’s bourgeoisie, but rather be accessible to all people. These socialist values are reflected in the subject matter of his work, which anyone can enjoy regardless of their education, language, or values.

Current Supporters of Znamierowski’s Artwork in Foreign Markets

Given that Znamierowski was a Soviet painter born in Latvia with Lithuanian and Polish heritage, his work is associated with a multicultural quality that gives it a certain universal appeal. During his life, his work became extremely popular in Poland, especially in Warsaw. To this day, his work can be found in the Warsaw National Gallery of Art, as well as the Lithuanian Art Museum and Tretyakov Gallery.

Chinese art collectors and viewers have already proven their interest in Russian artworks. Chinese oil paintings have been heavily influenced by Russian painters, and a partnership between the Tretyakov Gallery brought classic Russian paintings (including some by Isaac Levitan, who Znamierowski studied under) to the National Museum of China in Beijing, which drew large admiring crowds.

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