Lithuanian roots of Bronisław Piłsudski

Publikacijoje pristatomas mokslininkas, kalbotyrininkas, etnografas, muziejininkas Bronislavas Petras Pilsudskis (Bronisław Piotr Piłsudski) (1866–1918), kaip vienas iš pirmųjų XX a. pradžios Lietuvos kryždirbystės skleidėjų Vakarų Europoje. Savo pastebėjimus apie lietuviškų kryžių pastatymo tradicijas, jų formos tyrinėjimus B. Pilsudskis atskleidė 1916 m. išleistoje knygelėje „Lietuviški kryžiai“. Apžvelgiamos šios knygelės atsiradimo priežastys, ryšys su 1906 m. pasirodžiusia pirmąja solidžia Mykolo Eustachijaus Brenšteino (Michał Eustachy Brensztejn) (1874–1938) studija apie žemaičių kryžius ir koplytėles. „Lietuviški kryžiai“ – tekstas labai jautrus, lakoniškas, papildytas piešiniais, įprasmina tautos paveldo reikšmę dvasinio gyvenimo lygmenyje. The works of Bronisław Piłsudski, a prominent Lithuanian-born scientist, linguist, ethnographer and museologist, are not particularly well known to Lithuanian audiences. In 2017, the Lithuanian Art Museum, together with the Polish Institute in Vilnius and Tatra Museum in Zakopane, held an exhibition at the LDM Radvilas Palace entitled Bronisław Piłsudski (1866–1918) – Ethnographer and Museologist. B. Piłsudski became known throughout the world thanks to his scientific research, which he began in 1887 during forced exile in Sakhalin, focused on the ethnographic cultural heritage, vocabulary, customs and traditions of diminishing local tribes: Ainu, Nivkh (Gilyak) and Orak. B. Piłsudski published his notes on Lithuanian cross building traditions and a study of their shapes in his book Lithuanian Crosses, released in 1916 in Switzerland. The work shows his desire to honour the ethnographic cultural heritage of his motherland, i.e. the artistic work of traditional Lithuanian cross makers, dievdirbiai (carvers of sacral statuettes), and blacksmiths. Lithuanian crosses stand out as monuments to the nation’s faith, piety, spiritual life, history and customs, attesting to how significant the creative work of folk artists is for the nation. The book shows some signs of being influenced by the 1906 study on Samogitian crosses and chapels by Mykolas Eustachijus Breinšteinas. Piłsudski’s text and illustrations provided early 20th century Europe with an opportunity to learn about cross making – the most unique sphere of Lithuanian folk art.