Vladas Nagevičius ir kryžių Lietuva Karo muziejuje
Vladas Nagevičius and the Lithuania of Crosses at the War Museum

Summary/Abstract: In the late 19th – early 20th century, the landscape of Lithuania was densely scattered with crosses. In artistic works, this element of landscape became a metaphor conveying the dramatic past of the country, a difficult political situation and romantic hope. A large variety of shapes of crosses revealed the origins of creativity of the Lithuanian nation. Thus, the image of The Lithuania of Crosses was given a general status; it was boasted as exceptional and represented the state at international exhibitions.In the interwar period, a symbolic image of The Lithuania of Crosses was materialized in the most prestigious square of Kaunas – the garden of the War Museum. Crosses to those who perished for the freedom of Lithuania were erected on both sides of the monument in 1922/3–38. Traditional crosses were brought from various locations, acquired by the Exhibition of agriculture and Industry, and carved after drafts made by students of the Kaunas Art School in 1928. Various monuments of architecture of small forms were built – 9 crosses, 2 roofed pillar-type crosses, one roadside pillar-type chapel, one krikštas (a wooden burial marker typical of Lithuania Minor) and one small chapel, revealing a panorama of objects of cross-crafting in all regions of Lithuania. The main preconditions for the appearance of crosses in the museum garden should be pointed out: representation of ethnic regions and the diversity of artistic forms, and commemoration of important events. Besides, these crosses were a kind of cenotaphs, as they symbolized the home -lands of those who perished for Independence. The monument to the perished and the crosses that stood beside were regarded as a pantheon of the Lithuanian nation. Thanks to the museum director Vladas Nagevičius, who constantly fostered the ceremonies and memorial rites held at the monument, this place became the major symbol of commemorating society’s memory. Because of such significance, attempts were made to repeat both the monument and the crosses in other locations of Lithuania and in Lithuanian exile.On the other hand, a practical model of nurturing the traditions of cross-crafting was built on the initiative of Nagevičius and artist Adomas Varnas, which still lives on: crosses created after artists’ projects and dedicated to certain regions of Lithuania were built in the museum garden. In 1949, all crosses were pulled down. At present, copies of the majority of crosses and other monuments formerly found in the garden have been restored, and the museum garden became a site for various events again; however, its former aura and significance have been irredeemably lost.

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