On the initiative of Vilnius University Kaunas Faculty (VU KnF), an exhibition of photographs by the “Kauno Fotodraugija” and the KTU historical dance group “Saltus Gladii” has been opened in the building nicknamed Napoleon's House (Muitinės St. 14). The exhibition invites the visitors to think back to the time when the French army was briefly stationed in Kaunas, and Napoleon was staying at the home of the then resident, Mr. Echel.
Located in the Faculty's territory, the Napoleon House, a 16th-century stone building with Gothic cellars, is a popular tourist destination and an architectural gem in the city's representative area. The house is listed as an architectural monument in the Register of Cultural Heritage, and urban legends testify to the visit of the famous knight.
An acquaintance of like-minded people became an idea for an exhibition
“We are very glad to be friends with the Faculty’s community. It was interesting to learn more about the history of our beloved city and to create some theatrical pieces together. It is a pleasure to work with models who know not only the rules of attire, but also the rules of etiquette of that time: the photos seem to tell stories themselves,” says Andrius Lindžius, the Chairman of “Kauno Fotodraugija”. For the exhibition poster, he himself created the image of the great warrior using artificial intelligence.
“As none of us is a professional model, we do not always feel comfortable or know how to behave in front of a professional camera. But this group of photographers made us feel like we knew what we were doing. The idea of the photoshoot itself is also very original – by combining the centuries-old architecture with the work of modern historical reconstructionists, the photographs managed to bring the past alive, even if only for a moment,” says Eglė Kukytė, the member of the KTU historical dance group “Saltus Gladii”. Aistė Osinskytė and Ingrida Zinkevičienė took part in the photoshoot of the exhibition as well. Two of the dresses were made by Eglė herself, the third was sewn by another club member.
“One could say that we have a long tradition of empathising with history, from active participation in the Hansa Days to traditional evenings with the Faculty’s folklore ensemble “Uosinta”. Visuality is very effective in today's communication, so it is encouraging to have the involvement of like-minded people and to be able to realise the idea in such a professional way,” says Monika Būblaitytė, the author of the idea and the VU KnF public relations representative.
According to her, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Kaunas Faculty, there are more surprises in store to remind us of its unique place in the history and everyday life of Kaunas.
Historian encourages to remember and be proud
According to the notes of a contemporary of the events, a senior of the Bernardine monastery, the French Emperor Napoleon, after crossing the Nemunas River to Kaunas on 24 June, 1812, stayed with his army at the Carmelite monastery and spent the night there. During his stay, Napoleon wrote 16 official letters and addressed three of them to his beloved Joséphine. It is alleged that Napoleon, after losing the war, retreated on 7 December, 1812, and briefly stayed again at the home of the above-mentioned Kaunas resident Echel.
“It is believed that Napoleon may have stayed in this room, which is now an auditorium. Maybe he tasted Lithuanian mead when he came here, or maybe something else as well... Oddly enough, his beloved Joséphine did not find out about this visit,” intriguingly narrates Prof. Dr Virginija Jurėnienė, the historian of VU Kaunas Faculty. She has no doubt that an excursion in the ensemble of historic buildings can be dedicated to this event alone: “Here was the central entrance, so it is quite plausible that Napoleon Bonaparte himself walked through this glorious entrance on the night of 24th to 25th June, 1812.”