A lavishly illustrated reference on a little-known chapter in art history - the art of the
three Baltic States covering a wide range of mediums movements and styles. The Baltic States
- Lithuania Latvia and Estonia - retain strong cultural identities that have survived despite
centuries of colonization by powerful neighbouring lands. By the late 19th and early 20th
centuries artists and writers were starting to reclaim and promote their own artistic heritage
as radically distinct from that of the invading nations with pioneers such as M. K. Ciurlionis
and Vilhelms Purvitis demonstrating rare originality in their work. In the wake of the First
World War the three Baltic countries regained their autonomy and the 1920s and 30s became a
rich period of openness and international artistic exchange. Modernism in all its forms
flourished not only in painting but in sculpture printmaking photomontage and the decorative
arts ranging from the elegant abstraction of Arnold Akberg to the provocative figuration of
Karlis Padegs and the experimental photography of Domicele Tarabildiene. Art of the Baltic
States is organized into three main chapters documenting the history of art in each country.
Enriched with illustrations from important museum collections Fauchereau covers key art
movements as well as their complex historical background from time under the Czars and the
German crown to the invasion by the Soviet Union and beyond. With each country showcased in its
own lavishly illustrated section this is a wonderful guide to a vibrant field in European art
history that is often overlooked but deserves rediscovery and a place on the global stage.
