From a photo postcard to an international exhibition

Special collections of photo postcards were compiled on the initiative of A. Varnas – this is a historical archive of Lithuanian crosses, concentrated and preserved only in photographs. The research of the photo postcards attributed to A. Varnas' photo collection confirmed the uniqueness and value of these exhibits. Most of them have marks required for correspondence and paper manufacturers' marks on the back. Photo postcards were specially prepared and used to enlarge photographs for exhibitions. This is a collection that is interesting not only for researchers of old technologies, but also for anyone interested in the history of Lithuania in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

*Adomas Varnas (1879–1979) – amateur painter, graphic artist and photographer

Vilma Šileikienė – creator of interdisciplinary art, museologist, restoration technologist. Since 2003, she has been working at the Lithuanian National Art Museum (LNDM), in the field of documentation and research of restored works. Photo research material is presented during professional international conferences, published in scientific works, books and other publications.

Eglė Piščikaitė – expert restorer of works of art on paper, head of the graphic restoration workshop of the LNDM Pranas Gudynas restoration center. Long-term experience in restoring graphic prints, paintings made in watercolor, gouache, pastel; conservation of historical photography, preparation for storage.

In the illustrations:

1. Retouched postcard for image enlargement (general image)

2. Retouched postcard for image enlargement (on light table)