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The year 2025 has been declared the Year of Motiejus Kazimieras Sarbievijus (1595–1640) and Baroque Literature, and thus the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania invites you to explore one of the most prominent poets of the Baroque era in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The museum’s baroque royal library (Route II) features an updated exhibition where visitors can become acquainted with the works of M. K. Sarbievijus preserved in the museum’s collections.

 

One of the publications on display is the poetry collection Lyricorum libri IV (in English: Four Books of Lyrics), published in 1632 in Antwerp. Another is Carmina, published in Paris in 1759, which was donated to the museum in 2014 by Prof. Dr. Kęstutis Paulius Žygas (USA).

Moreover, the title page of Four Books of Lyrics (Lyricorum libri IV) is adorned with an engraving by Cornelis Galle (1576–1650), an engraver from Antwerp. The artwork was created based on a drawing by Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640), which has been preserved to this day in the Plantin-Moretus Museum (Antwerp, Belgium).

 

Educated by the Jesuits in Lithuania, M. K. Sarbievijus rose to fame in 17th-century Europe due to his poetry collection Three Books of Lyrics (Latin: Lyricorum libri tres). This collection was published over 60 times by various European publishers, and his poems were translated into English, Czech, Italian, Polish, Lithuanian, French, and German!

 

The poet was called the “Christian Horace,” the “Sarmatian Horace,” and in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the “Lithuanian Horace.” Motiejus Kazimieras Sarbievijus served as the preacher to the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, Władysław Vasa. The ruler greatly valued him and often invited him to travel together.

Napoleon Orda (1807–1883) was one of the most diverse Lithuanian artists and public figures of the 19th century. He earned renown in Paris as a pianist and composer, his musical works and abilities were appreciated by masters such as Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt and Stanisław Moniuszko. Orda actively gathered those fleeing political persecution from Russia around him, was personally engaged in publicistic activities writing articles and poems, and was close friends with the most famous poet of the day, Adam Mickiewicz. Nevertheless, the most valuable and richest part of Orda’s artistic legacy are his drawings and watercolours, presented here in this exhibition by the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and the National Museum of Kraków.