Populations arriving well before our era on the shores of the Baltic formed Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. These three independent states have willingly grouped together under the name of Baltic Countries because they are geographically contiguous and politically brought together by a community of interests in the face of the vagaries of history. We have known them since they were freed from their final colonizers. During the 19th century, Baltic artists and writers claimed and ultimately imposed their own cultural heritages distinct from those of their invaders. From the Symbolist era, precursors like Ciurlionis, Mägi or Purvitis demonstrated exceptional originality. The interwar period when these sister countries had regained their complete autonomy was a rich period of openness and exchange where we will discover the pictorial dexterity of Aleksandra Belcova, the subtle geometries of Akberg and the photographic experiments of Domicele Tarabildiene. Spurred by recent anthological exhibitions, our curiosity and our information will find here a complete and abundantly illustrated history of modern art in the Baltic States.
