Sketch I for vitrage dyptich "Rex" 1904

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis created this sketch for the "Rex" diptych using pastel on paper. The composition strikes us with its vertical orientation and the vibrant use of colour. We see an androgynous figure chiselling at a rock face against a backdrop of towering, slender trees under a yellow-tinged sky. Ciurlionis's symbolic language operates through colour and form. The figure, bathed in a warm, reddish hue, is actively shaping the dark, monumental rock, perhaps symbolizing the artist's role in transforming the material world. The verticality of the trees creates a rhythmic pattern, drawing the eye upwards and evoking a sense of aspiration and growth. These elements work together to create a narrative about creation, labour, and the interplay between humanity and nature. Notice how the cool blues and greens of the sky contrast with the fiery yellows and reds below, suggesting a tension between the ethereal and the earthly. The sketch challenges viewers to consider the deeper symbolic meanings embedded in the visual language of colour and form.