Search for National Identity in Algirdas Petrulis's Coloristic

The article considers the traits of national identity, genres and forms of creative self-expression of Algirdas Petrulis (1915-2010), one of the most prominent colorists of the Lithuanian National Painting School in the course of the last fifty years. It analyzes the beginnings, development and stylistics of his creativity, the influence of Vienozinskis and Eidukevicius on his approach to nationality coloristic as well as the influence of modern French painting tradition on the development of his individual painting style. It discusses the main factors which determined the system of Petrulis's nationality coloristic, its relations with the Lithuanian painting tradition, natural colors and impressions. It pays special attention to the artist's concepts of creative work, color and coloring; to his favorite genres, peculiarities of artistic expressions and evolution form plot painting to abstract metaphoric plastic language. Petrulis is treated along with late Ciulionis and Eidukevicius as the brightest colorist of the Lithuanian Painting School.