Latviešu mākslinieku gaitas karadienestā. 1914–1922
Latvian Artists in Military Service. 1914–1922

Summary/Abstract: Military service coincided with the artists’ youth as the most important period of life; it affected the development of personality as well as influenced not just the choice of the place of residence but also creative paths. Artists who studied in St. Petersburg had a chance to avoid military operations, working for the Trophy Commission whose full name was Commission of Description of Russian War Trophies and Ancient Flags. To create the War Museum collection and supply latest publications with propaganda materials, various departments were formed in the Commission, dealing with literature, art and photography. Their tasks were to collect and capture past and present testimonies of Russian Army’s heroic deeds, design flags and honorary badges, portray officers and soldiers awarded with St. George’s Cross as well as reconstruct decisive moments of military action. Artists largely worked on the spot in St. Petersburg, receiving materials in a centralised way but from 1915 on, the Commission’s work expanded as expeditions to the front line were organised, creating special units of war artists. Many Latvians were included in the battalion of Kexholm Reserve Regiment attached to the Trophy Commission; according to the catalogue published by the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineering and Signal Corps, most prolific Latvian draughtsmen in the regiment were Dāvids Draule (1889–1949), Alberts Kronenbergs (1887–1958), Kārlis Miesnieks (1887–1977) and Jānis Saukums (1890–1936). Regardless of favourable conditions, artists had difficulties to continue their artistic education; they could not complete their study years and receive diplomas. Artists who ended up in the regiments of Latvian riflemen were in a less stable situation; although Jāzeps Grosvalds (1891–1920) tried to create an official team of artists, the only result was protection based on personal contacts and oral agreements. Thanks to the cooperation with the Latvian War Museum Director Kārlis Straubergs (1890–1962), Kārlis Johansons (1890–1929) together with other allies cast death masks of riflemen fallen during the Christmas Battles, went to the front line and drew heroes in their action stations as well as worked on illustrations for the publication 'Jaunā Latvija'. Reservist Eduards Gruziņš (1887–1934) made decorations for the regiment gathering and illustrated the magazine 'Strēlnieks'; Kārlis Baltgailis (1893–1979) had a similar experience in the Imanta Regiment, decorating the stage and auditorium and making actors’ costumes for performances. Artists who lacked special protection had to rely on the benevolence of fortune. Some were quite lucky, for example, Uga Skulme (1895–1963) who supervised road building works for the Russian Army supply in the Caucasus front or Indriķis Zeberiņš (1882–1969), secretary of the train company stationed in Finland. Thanks to good education, they managed to settle in expedient posts, which allowed practicing art alongside direct duties.

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