Eglė the Queen of Serpents

This is one of the painter’s most remarkable early works, notable for its artistic mastery, free realistic expression, soft and light painting manner as well as sensitiveness and emotionality. The artist’s chosen subject of a tragic Lithuanian tale is especially rare and striking. The weeping, grieving woman is a reflection of the spirit of the early 20th century, revealing aspirations and ideals of the nation of Lithuania. It is notable that the subject of Eglė (the heroine of the tale) appears in painting for the first time. The drawing of her figure, her dissolving limbs, the shoulder line of her body is reminiscent of the figures in his other work “Rudens auksinė pasaka” (1912), Lithuanian Art Museum. It is worth mentioning that the painting was on display in a 1997 exhibition in Łazienki, Poland, and listed in the exhibition catalogue.