Czeslaw Znamierowski

Czeslaw Viktorovich Znamierowski (23 May 1890 – 9 August 1977) known for his large artworks and love of nature. Znamierowski combined these two passions to create some of the most notable paintings in the Soviet Union, earning a prestigious title of "Honorable Artist of LSSR" in 1965. His works can be found in the Lithuanian Art Museum, Warsaw National Gallery of Art, the Tretyakov Gallery as well as in known private collections and art funds.

Znamierowski was born in Zatišje, Ludza, in eastern Latvia, to a father who worked as a land-surveyor and a mother who was a music teacher. Znamierowski lived in Vilnius the remainder of his life, He was born into a poor but very artistic working-class Polish family. His father was a land-surveyor, and his mother was music and singing teacher, who occasionally painted as well. His grandfather, on the mother's side, was a sculptor, and his aunt (A. Bobrowicz) was a painter. As a child, growing up in rural Latvia, Czeslaw was surrounded by nature. The farmhouse where he lived was always abundant in flowers. After finishing high school Czeslaw collected all the money he could from selling his belongings and savings from various jobs to move to St. Petersburg. In 1911 Znamierowski arrived in St. Petersburg to continue his art education. In Znamierowski's words: "I could not be indifferent to what was happening. In Zatishye, I propagated among the peasants and was appointed as the secretary of the Public Committee of Peasants. In January 1918 the white guardsmen arrested me, 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." In 1965 Znamierowski became an Honorable Artist of LSSR.

Due to his intentional and unintentional multiculturalism, Znamierowski is considered a national artist of four countries – Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia.

Latvia's claim – Znamierowski was born, schooled and took up art in Latvia. His entire family lived there, and it is the country where his career as an artist began. Znamierowski was fluent in Latvian.

Lithuania's claim – From 1926 until his death in 1977 Znamierowski resided in Vilnius, Lithuania. Most of his artworks were dedicated to and about this country. He was awarded a title of Honorable Artist of LSSR. Znamierowski learned, read, wrote, and spoke fluent Lithuanian, but above that, he accepted Lithuania, and especially Vilnius (capital) as his home.

Poland's claim – Although residing in Latvia, and later in Lithuania, Znamierowski's family was ethnically Polish, making his nationality also Polish; "Czeslaw Znamierowski" is a Polish name, and Znamierowski clearly made a point of spelling it in a Polish way (Example of Lithuanian spelling: Česlovas Znamierovskis) on many of his artworks, even those that were painted in (and dedicated to) Lithuania. Further more the artist kept close ties and was exhibited numerously in Poland (see chapter Exhibitions). Znamierowski was fluent in Polish.

Russia's claim – Technically, Znamierowski was born in the Imperial Russia (which Latvia was part of at that time). He was fluent in Russian and for several years lived and received his highest art education in St. Petersburg (Russia). He was most influenced and painted in what can be called Russian realism and Russian academic style. In addition Znamierowski was a supporter of communism which was a vivid connection to Russia, where the ideology was the strongest. Because of these factors, to date he is perceived by many as a Soviet Russian artist.