The catalogue of the exhibition "Between Presence and Memory. Historic Images of the Vilnius Castles", held at the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, presents a comprehensive exploration of the rich iconographic and historical material collected alongside research findings about the residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and other structures within the Vilnius Castles ensemble. Serving as the pivotal political, economic and cultural centre of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since the Middle Ages, the Vilnius Castles hold profound significance. Despite the demolition of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, its historic essence was revived through the works and research of artists, photographers, architects and other authors spanning the 19th and 20th centuries.

 

The catalogue, a comprehensive collection of our research, provides an in-depth exploration of the Vilnius Castles. It consists of an introduction to the exhibition and its structure, as well as texts on the depiction of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and other buildings of Vilnius Castles in iconographic sources from the late 14th to the end of the 20th century. The catalogue is structured into five distinct sections, arranged chronologically and thematically: I. "Topography. Vilnius Castles in plans and panoramas“, II. "Being. Vilnius Castles in iconographic sources", III. "Life. Vilnius Castles in the visions of romantics", IV. "(De)erasure. Destruction of the historical landscape" and V. "The (Re)return. Ideas and plans for restoration". Presenting nearly 200 exhibits encompassing panoramic views of Vilnius, architectural plans, maps, watercolours, graphic works, photographs, and postcards, this publication offers a comprehensive and engaging narrative of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and the Vilnius Castles.

 

The catalogue texts and descriptions of the exhibits are published in Lithuanian and English.

 

Editors: Vydas Dolinskas, Rita Lelekauskaitė-Karlienė, Gabija Tubelevičiūtė, Marijus Uzorka

 

2024, 384 pages, illustrated

 

ISBN 978-609-8061-90-1