The Lithuanian Art Society () was a society that organized Lithuanian art exhibitions and supported Lithuanian artists. Based in Vilnius (then part of the Russian Empire), it was active from 1907 to the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It was chaired by painter Antanas Žmuidzinavičius. The society was established after the first Lithuanian art exhibition was successfully organized in early 1907. The society continued to organize annual exhibitions that displayed works both by professional and folk artists. Influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, the society paid great attention to Lithuanian folk art which was increasingly seen as an expression of the Lithuanian character. In 1912, the society published an album of drawings of Lithuanian crosses, column shrines, and roofed poles, which is considered the first study of Lithuanian folk art. The society was also instrumental in preserving the art of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis and organized his first solo exhibitions in 1911 and 1913. The society also collected works by other artists and worked with the Lithuanian Scientific Society to establish a Lithuanian art museum (plans failed due to World War I). The collection was transferred to the present-day M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum in 1920.
First exhibition
Background and preparations
After the closure of Vilnius University in 1832, Lithuania did not have any art schools until the was founded by Ivan Trutnev in 1866. Banker Józef Montwiłł established another drawing school in 1893. However, these schools were geared towards preparing artists needed in crafts and industry as well as art teachers for schools. Therefore, aspiring artists had to seek further education abroad, mostly in Poland and Russia. Lithuanian cultural life was further suppressed during the Lithuanian press ban which was lifted in 1904. The idea to establish an organization that would unite the dispersed Lithuanian artists, support them financially, and promote their work was first raised by sculptor Petras Rimša in the daily Vilniaus žinios on 6 April 1906. The first step would be organizing a Lithuanian art exhibition. The idea was met with approval by Antanas Žmuidzinavičius (then living in Paris), Antanas Jaroševičius (then living in Kazan), Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė, Kazimierz Stabrowski from Warsaw, and others.
In summer 1906, Žmuidzinavičius returned to Vilnius and started gathering the organizational committee. The committee was established in October and elected Jonas Basanavičius as its chairman. Other members included Žmuidzinavičius, Petras Vileišis, Antanas Vileišis, Jonas Vileišis, Juozapas Kukta, Vladas Mironas, . The committee sent out invitations to various Lithuanian artists and societies to send exhibits. Priests and provincial intelligentsia were asked to send the best examples of Lithuanian folk art. Information was also sent to the periodicals in Russia, Poland, United States, France, England.
Exhibition
The exhibition was organized in the home of Petras Vileišis, the Vileišis Palace in Antakalnis suburb. The entire second floor (six rooms) were rented for 400 rubles. The collected exhibits were selected and organized by Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, Antanas Žmuidzinavičius, Petras Rimša. The exhibition catalog was printed in Lithuanian, Polish, and Russian. The opening ceremony took place on . It was attended by various officials and guests, including a representative of the General Governor of Vilnius, Governor of Vilnius , and Bishop Eduard von der Ropp. The ceremony was held in Lithuanian language with only brief translations to Russian to accommodate foreign guests. The Polish press criticized the event because it did not use Polish. The ceremony included a speech by Basanavičius and performances by Kanklės of Vilnius choir directed by . Two days after the opening, Basanavičius withdrew from the organizational committee as he disagreed with the decision to invite Bishop von der Ropp.