Exhibition of Crosses by Wood-carver Vincas Svirskis at the Kėdainiai Regional Museum

Stories have survived that Vincas began carving while working as a shepherd. Later, he travelled from village to village, staying wherever people wished to decorate their homesteads. He worked exclusively in oak, sang religious songs while carving, and believed that his work required only pure thoughts.

The artistic style of Svirskis is known as Folk Baroque. In his chapel-posts, he carved the figures directly into the wood rather than inserting them, painted them in vivid colours, and adorned them with decorative details as well as plant and geometric motifs.

One of the most valuable works by the master – the chapel-post from Okainiai village – can be seen at the Kėdainiai Regional Museum. It depicts Saint John the Baptist, Our Lady of Sorrows, and the Crucified Christ. The figures are painted in red, blue, and black and adorned with as many as 22 small angel heads.