Published: 20250424
The international exhibition "Pidhirtsi Palace. History and Art Collections" presents a European gem of Ukrainian heritage. This geographically distant yet culturally significant site for Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania is the Pidhirtsi residence. The treasures of its historical collections are now dispersed and preserved in several museums across Ukraine and Poland. The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania has brought to Vilnius the most valuable pieces from the centuries-old Pidhirtsi art collections, kept at the Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery and the Lviv Historical Museum.
"At the Exhibition Centre of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, visitors will see about a hundred art pieces – alongside portraits, battle and sacred scenes painted by renowned European artists, there are also works by painters connected with Lithuania. A separate space is dedicated to applied art objects: we are recreating the interior of Pidhirtsi Palace with salon furniture, mirrors, candelabra, hussar armor, halberds," lists exhibition concept author Dr. Vydas Dolinskas. "Visitors will be able to understand the principles of collection-building in an aristocratic residence from the 17th to the 19th century, and in old photographs of the palace, see how those collections looked in the halls."
The exhibition begins with the story of the Pidhirtsi residence’s history and architecture, as well as its owners – prominent historical figures. The second part presents the interiors of the Pidhirtsi Palace and its art collection, including works by well-known foreign painters (such as Gottfried Libalt, Jan de Baen, and others). A separate section of the exhibition is dedicated to the talents of masters of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (e.g., Simon Čechavičius, connected to Vilnius, Hiacint Olesinski, grandfather of Franciszek Smuglewicz, and others).
"I hope this exhibition will inspire a deeper interest in the Lithuanian heritage preserved in Ukraine, the prominent and significant figures for us, and the cultural ties of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth," says V. Dolinskas.
A palace whose interior was a model for the reconstruction of royal residences in Lithuania and Poland
Pidhirtsi Palace – a monument of architecture rich in history – is an Italian-style palazzo in fortezza (fortified palace) residence, distinguished by a stylistic blend of late Renaissance and early Baroque elements. Architect Constante Tencalla (c. 1590–1646), who worked in 17th-century Vilnius and was responsible for constructing the Chapel of St. Casimir and reconstructing the Palace of the Grand Dukes, is believed to have possibly contributed to the palace’s decoration. Built on a picturesque hillside, the Pidhirtsi Palace and its ensemble with a park and garden amazed guests and art connoisseurs in the 17th–18th centuries. Later, the elegance of its interiors and the structure of its ceiling plafonds served as inspiration for the reconstruction of halls in the Royal Castle in Wawel and the Palace of the Grand Dukes in Vilnius.
"The Pidhirtsi residence was owned by prominent noble families – the Koniecpolskis, the Sobieskis, the Rzewuskis, and the Sanguszkos. Each left their mark on the colorful history of the residence. In 1865, the palace was inherited by a side branch of the Gediminid dynasty of Lithuanian descent – the Sanguszko princes. Eustachy Stanisław Sanguszko, recognizing the museum-worthy value of Pidhirtsi, enabled the wider public to visit the palace and admire its interiors and art treasures. Individual travelers' notes have survived in the guest books," says exhibition curator Ignas Račickas.
Accompanying events will share fascinating stories about the palace’s owners, the fate of the dispersed collection in the early 20th century, and the possible future of the palace. The exhibition’s curators and coordinators include Halyna Skoropadova, Mykhaylo Kobryn, Viktor Kushnirenko from Ukraine, and Marijus Uzorka, Dr. Živilė Mikailienė, Ignas Račickas, and Gabija Tubelevičiūtė. The exhibition’s patron is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania, Gintautas Paluckas.
The international exhibition "Pidhirtsi Palace. History and Art Collections" symbolically opens the doors of the Pidhirtsi residence to visitors – something currently impossible due to the war in Ukraine – and will run until September 28.
