Leonardas Kazokas

Leonardas Kazokas, a painter and teacher, was born on 27 July 1905 in Kaunas. He attended Kaunas School of Art between 1922 and 1929, and completed his studies under J. Vienožinskis. He began to participate in exhibitions in 1929. He was a member and chairman of the I ndependent Artists’ S ociety. H e left for Paris in 1930 to continue his studies. When he returned to Kaunas (1934–1939), he taught drawing at the Third Gymnasium of Kaunas. He gave drawing classes in Vilnius in 1940 and 1941, and at Kaunas Institute of Applied Art from 1944 to 1951. He travelled extensively during his summer holidays. Between 1934 and 1938 he visited Sweden, Norway, Belgium, France, England and East Prussia. From 1951 to 1961, he worked as an artist at the Dailė art factory in Kaunas.

His early works are distinguished by their soft silver colouring and their dreamy mood. His later works, in particular after his return from Paris, are brighter, with unexpected combinations of colours, painted intensely, expressively and decoratively. Most of Kazokas’ works are held by the M. K. Č iurlionis National Art Museum and the Lithuanian Art M useum. H e died on 15 August 1981 in Kaunas.

Reference: Art album "The World of Landscapes" (Volume II). Catalogue. Compiled by N. Tumėnienė. Vilnius, LAWIN, 2013, P. 241.

Landscapes by L. Kazokas are often difficult to define, both due to their style, which may change, and the subjects, which are different every time and seldom recur. The variety of the painter’s compositions is also surprising, because after the war he painted realistic panoramic views, despite being a master of genretype pictures and a subtle painter of lyrical landscapes, especially responsive to the breath of nature reawakening in spring.

Reference: Art album "The World of Landscapes" (Volume II). Compiled by N. Tumėnienė. Vilnius, LAWIN, 2013, P. 92.

Painter L. Kazokas (Kazakevičius) was a tender-hearted, sensitive and subtle person. This is reflected in his lyrical landscapes. He mastered his painting skills in Paris, at private studios and independently (during his summer holidays between 1935 and 1939). In comparison to his colourful Paris cityscape studies, which the artist painted feeling himself as a free interpreter, the landscapes created when he returned to Kaunas took on a considerably greyer look, as if deprived of youthful inspiration.

Reference: Art album "The World of Landscapes" (Volume I). Compiled by N. Tumėnienė. Vilnius, LAWIN, 2010, P. 116.