The Bather
The Bather
The Bather

The Bather

Author: Mikėnas Juozas, 1901 - 1964

Created: around 1932.

Material / technique: oil on canvas.

Dimensions: 40x31 cm.

In the summer of 1932, Adomas Galdikas (1893–1969) and Juozas Mikėnas (1901–1964) went on a journey around Europe in Galdikas’ car. When they stopped in Paris, they visited the Georges Petit Gallery, where there was an exhibition of Picasso’s work, with early pieces and the latest paintings and graphic works by the master of modern Neo-Classicism. One of the prototypes for Picasso’s Neo- Classical subjects was The Valpinçon bather (1808) by Ingres, which came to the Louvre from Bonnat’s collection, and inspired a whole generation of French Neo-Classicists in the first half of the 20th century. The monumental images of bathers caught the eyes of the two travellers from Lithuania. For some time, both of them followed in Picasso’s footsteps, and portrayed huge half-naked women, with large heavy limbs and almond-shaped eyes. The work of Juozas Mikėnas, the younger of the two artists, was particularly influenced, both intellectually and emotionally, by the Neo-Classical ideal of beauty.

Reference:  "More Than Just Beauty. The Image of Woman in the LAWIN collection." Compiled by G. Jankevičiūtė. Vilnius, LAWIN, 2012, P. 163.

Exhibitions: “More Than Just Beauty: The Image of Woman in the LAWIN collection”, 12 October – 11 November 2012, National Gallery of Art; Vilnius.

Published: :  "More Than Just Beauty. The Image of Woman in the LAWIN collection." Compiled by G. Jankevičiūtė. Vilnius, LAWIN, 2012, Cat. No. 149, P. 163.

Photograph: display in the exhibition “More Than Just Beauty: The Image of Woman in the LAWIN collection”, 12 October – 11 November 2012, National Gallery of Art.