This is the largest painting ever created by Čiurlionis. It embodies one of the most frequently occurring motifs in the artist's work. This painting portrays a fully formed perception of the ruler of the Universe, the universal spirit of the world. The artist combines the concept of God from various religions, adding various elements of his own imagining.

“Rex” fulfils the idea of a world constructed of four principal elements: fire (the flame at the altar), water (the ocean), earth and air. The separation of the painting into many realms is reminiscent of an idea that can be found in the work of Camille Flammarion about the existence of many worlds that allow travelling souls to know the greatness of the Universe. Every stage of this journey raises them to a higher level of spiritual development.

This painting features the emergence of dualism, a quality that is not emphasized in any of Čiurlionis' other works. Here the viewer can see two rulers reigning over the world – a dark one and a light one. This is the centre of the Universe and the axis of the world.

It is in this painting that the painter's inclination towards synthesis becomes apparent: he attempts to combine all of his areas of interest into one whole by incorporating what he finds to be acceptable ideas from the Bible, Hindu and Egyptian mythology, theosophical writings, astronomy and other fields of science as well as his own personal experiences.

1 June - 8 September, 2024 exhibited in exhibition "Van Gogh and the Stars".

Biography

Creative Works

1909