Svetimšaliai dailininkai XVIII a. Vilniuje
Foreign artists in Vilnius in the 18th century

Summary/Abstract: The distinctive character of the late Baroque in Vilnius was largely determined by the activity of immigrant artists. Travelling artists are the most straightforward way of spreading stylistic innovations; artists may be viewed as live carriers of style, fashion and technical development. Drawing on historical sources, the present article aims to provide a thorough analysis of the issue of foreign artists in Vilnius in the 18th century. It attempts to uncover what European countries and cities they were coming from and what circumstances and phenomena influenced such a flow of immigrants. The author attempts to establish how long foreign artists stayed in Vilnius, whether they continued their journey and how they integrated themselves into the local society. The analysis shows that the decisive role in the influx of artists and their integration into the city's environment was played by the increased demand for builders and finish craftsmen as well as the activity of the fraternity of St. Martin (also known as the German Catholic Congregation). Foreign artists accounted for the major part of artists working in the city. They may be separated into two groups: those who stayed in Vilnius forever and those "in transit", which continued their journey or returned to motherland after temporary work in the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Both groups were practically equal in number. The data gathered demonstrate that the majority of foreign artists coming to Vilnius in the 18th century were from German-speaking countries. This is a very important point when the issue of the genesis of the late Baroque in Vilnius is considered and analogies are searched for.

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