Exhibition “In Shadow and Light. A View of Kaunas”

At the heart of the exhibition is the Kaunas landscape A View of Kaunas (“Widok Kowna”), painted around 1845–1846 by the Polish artist Martynas Zaleskis (Marcin Zaleski, 1796–1877). The work is being shown in Lithuania for the first time. The panorama, opening from the left bank of the Nemunas River, impresses with its precision, rich detail, and masterful technique.

The meticulous depiction of a single day in mid-19th-century Kaunas invites reflection not only on what was happening in the city at the time, but also on the circumstances in which the painting itself was created. This work is the only known representation of Kaunas within Zaleskis’s artistic legacy and is likely the earliest surviving painted landscape of the city. How and why was it created?

Understanding the historical context is essential to uncovering the painting’s story. The exhibition therefore highlights the key features of 19th-century Kaunas. The artwork captures a period of the city’s transformation: in 1843, Kaunas became the center of a governorate. What changes did this bring? What was the city like at the time? What drew travelers to Kaunas? Another central focus of the exhibition is the artist himself. In the creative legacy of this Polish painter, more than one depiction of Vilnius can be found — his works “Vilnius Cathedral” and “Vilnius Town Hall” have already become canonical. Yet how much do we truly know about the author himself? Was he a typical figure of the 19th century? What was he like?

The painting is also accessible to visitors with visual impairments: an audio description of the painting is available at the exhibition.

The broader context of the exhibition is presented in the book “In Shadow and Light. Martynas Zaleskis and A View of Kaunas” (authors: Domas Boguševičius, Rūta Janonienė; Editor: Sigita Žemaitytė-Strazdė; Designer Inga Navickaitė-Drąsutė; Kaunas City Museum, 2025).

Curators-Researchers: Domas Boguševičius, Dr Rūta Janonienė Curator-Coordinator: Sigita Žemaitytė-Strazdė

Architects: Jautra Bernotaitė, Andrius Ropolas, Paulius Vaitiekūnas (“Office de Architectura”)