Adomas Galdikas – creator of Lithuanian banknotes

18 October 2018 marked 125 years since the birth of Adomas Galdikas (1893–1969), a famous Lithuanian painter, graphic artist and creator of litas banknotes.

Galdikas was born in the village of Giršniai, not far from Mosėdis (currently the district of Skuodas). He graduated from Palanga Progymnasium and Gymnasium. The artist studied painting in Petrograd (current-day Saint Petersburg) and, later, in Germany, Sweden, Italy and France. He was the first etching (a graphics technique) artist in Lithuania.

Starting in 1920, his paintings were displayed both in Lithuania and abroad. His triptych “Lithuania” was awarded the Grand Prix in the 1937 Paris World Expo. He illustrated books and created a number of decorations for theatre plays. For his decorations created for Vincas Krėvė’s play “Šarūnas” he was also awarded the gold medal in the 1937 Paris World Expo. He created a lot of paintings that are still famous both in Lithuania and abroad.

From his young days, Galdikas also participated in state-organised competitions. He created some of the first postal stamps (the first cents and litas denomination stamps) as well as the design for shares of some banks (e.g. the Lithuanian Trade and Industry Bank) and other companies. In addition, he created medals (e.g. in 1930, he created a medal for Lithuania’s Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition) and many other artworks.

During the war, Galdikas retreated to the west. He lived in Germany and, later, in France. In 1952, he moved to the US and settled in New York, where he died in 1969.

Litas banknotes created by Adomas Galdikas

Galdikas is the author of the majority of 1924–1938 litas banknote designs, including the 1924-issue 1,000 litas banknote, the 1928-issue 50 and 100 litas banknotes, the 1929-issue 5 litas banknote and the 1930-issue 20 litas banknote. In 1938, Galdikas also created a commemorative 10 litas banknote. Unfortunately, it was never released into circulation. His designs exhibit the realism and romanticism that was a distinctive feature of his early graphics and paintings. His banknote designs depict people, buildings and cultural objects significant to Lithuania as well as a plenitude of allegorical figures featuring Lithuania, its economic achievements and folk elements.

1,000 litas banknote of the 11 December 1924 issue

In 1924, the amount of money in circulation significantly increased, thus the Bank of Lithuania, seeking to make payments and transactions easier, decided to issue banknotes of higher denominations – 500 and 1,000 litas. During the General Council meeting, it was decided to print the designs of Vilius Jomantas and Adomas Galdikas. Adomas Galdikas created the design for the highest-denomination litas banknote that was ever issued into circulation in Lithuania – 1,000 litas. The banknote features a number of folk motifs. In the centre of the banknote’s obverse one can see the Vytis created by Galdikas and later used on many other banknotes. The reverse features two people – a young man and a girl. The girl holds an oak twig and the man plays the kanklės (a Lithuanian plucked string instrument). They are surrounded by a number of miniature images: agricultural implements (symbolising Lithuania as the land of agriculture), weapons (Lithuania’s military), art tools (Lithuania’s culture) and even national flags and a figure of the Pensive Christ. All of these images symbolise Lithuania as a thriving and strong country.

The banknotes were printed by the English company Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ltd. The Bank of Lithuania’s request was to protect the banknotes against counterfeiting as well as possible. Therefore, the company used money paper with watermarks (a portrait of Vytautas the Great), colourful fibres as well as an intricate and colourful drawing on its base. Later on, a vertical 20 mm width security thread of red and blue silk fibres was added to one side of the banknotes. The same English company also printed all the later issues of Lithuanian banknotes.

Interestingly, one can see the image of the 1,000 litas banknote on the facade of the Office Centre 1000 in Kaunas (Taikos pr. 88A), which is actually called the 1,000 litas banknote building.

50 litas banknote of the 31 March 1928 issue

The design of the new 50 and 100 litas banknotes was created by Adomas Galdikas. The obverse of the 50 litas banknote features Jonas Basanavičius, a famous public figure, signatory of the Act of Independence of 16 February and patriarch of Lithuania, whose monuments were already built even when he was still alive. This banknote could also be in a way considered a monument for Basanavičius. He died in 1927 and, one year later, was decided to be featured on a litas banknote. It is interesting that this was the first time that a litas banknote would feature a real historical figure. Up until then, litas banknotes used to depict only allegorical figures and portraits of the dukes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania created by modern artists. In all fairness, Basanavičius had already become a sort of a mythological figure by that time. The reverse of the banknote depicts Vilnius Cathedral with the Gediminas Tower in the background. On the one hand, it was a logical decision, since Basanavičius spent his last years in Vilnius, even when the city was governed by Poland, and had become a certain symbol of Vilnius by that time. On the other hand, since the capital city was occupied, it had become one of the main symbols of interwar-period Lithuania and was constantly, in various forms, used in the Lithuanian public life. The banknote’s watermark also features another thematically significant historical figure – Gediminas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania who founded Vilnius.

It should be noted that the same motives (Basanavičius’ portrait on the obverse and Vilnius Cathedral on the reverse) were present on the 50 litas banknote issued in 1993.

100 litas banknote of the 31 March 1928 issue

The new 100 litas banknote was issued alongside the 50 litas banknote. Its obverse features an allegory of Lithuania – a woman dressed in a folk costume, her head adorned with a veil. She also holds a cornucopia and is surrounded by the attributes of industry, art and culture. The artist depicted Lithuania as a modern country with a growing industry and developed agriculture. Interestingly, even though the figure is allegorical, a real person actually posed for it. It was Elena Turauskienė – the wife of Edvardas Turauskas, a Lithuanian diplomat, public figure and press employee.
The combination of classic and national elements was supposed to clearly show Lithuania’s evolution from province to a modern country. So it is quite logical that the reverse depicts the Bank of Lithuania’s new building (opened on 8 December 1928). The Bank of Lithuania was the symbol of the country’s economic stability and reliability, while its premises were probably the most modern and luxurious building in Lithuania at that time.

The watermark of the 100 litas banknote features Kęstutis – another famous Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

5 litas banknote of the 24 June 1929 issue

1930 marked the 500-year anniversary of the death of Vytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithuania. He was an especially important figure in interwar-period Lithuania, thus this anniversary was commemorated in many ways, including featuring Vytautas the Great on money. He was depicted on both coins and banknotes. The 5 litas banknote’s design, as well as the portrait of Vytautas the Great, were created by Adomas Galdikas. The obverse, in addition to his portrait, also features the so-called sign of Vytautas, which was also created by the artist (a spear tip and a cross that could be found on coins of Vytautas’ reign and the letter “V”). However, it was never claimed to be an original sign of Vytautas, as it was only a fruit of the artist’s imagination. The reverse features a reproduction of the Polish artist Jan Styka’s (1858–1925) painting “Oath of Vytautas” (1901). The painting’s sketch was created in Lithuania, while the painting was finished in Paris. It depicts Vytautas swearing to seek vengeance for the destruction of Kaunas Castle. The smoke coming from the burning castle can be seen in the distance, on the right side of the painting. Historic sources bear no record of this heroic moment, so it could be claimed that Styka’s painting depicts the artist’s own imagination or, maybe, some legend he heard about Vytautas’ oath to seek revenge against the Teutonic Order for the destruction of Kaunas in 1362. However, this symbolic painting held an important place in interwar-period Lithuania’s cultural life. For a long period of time, the original painting belonged to the Tyszkiewicz family and was displayed at their Raudondvaris Manor. The state purchased it for a record-breaking price at that time – 12,000 litas. It was put on display at the Vytautas the Great War Museum, where it became the most expensive exhibit which is displayed there to this day.

20 litas banknote of the 5 July 1930 issue

This banknote was also created to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Vytautas the Great. Its obverse resembles the 5 litas banknote’s design but features three Vytautas’ symbols: the same portrait of the Duke, the so-called sign of Vytautas (this time on the right side of the banknote instead of the Vytis) and, in the middle, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the Church of Vytautas the Great) in Kaunas. On the reverse, one can see a steamboat on the Nemunas River, symbolically passing by Klaipėda’s Old Town and the statue of Liberty created by Juozas Zikaras. By the way, the latter was also featured on the reverse of the 20 litas banknote issued after 1993. The reverse of the 20 litas banknote was the symbol of the new Lithuania, while Zikaras’ statute reminded not only of our ancestors’ battles, but also the recent fight for independence and the establishment of sovereignty.

Unreleased 10 litas banknote of the 1938 issue

In 1938, it was planned to release a commemorative 10 litas banknote dedicated to the 20-year anniversary of Lithuania’s independence. It was also designed by Adomas Galdikas. The banknote’s obverse features a portrait of Lituania’s President Antanas Smetona (for the first time Lithuanian money featured a still-living person), a facsimile of the Act of Independence, the Vytis and the Columns of Gediminas. The reverse depicted a photo of the Council of Lithuania, the signatories of the Act of Independence and the coats of arms of the three main cities – Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda. These commemorative banknotes were supposed to be released in 1938. The London-based company Bradbury, Wilkinson and Co. Ltd had even prepared banknote samples, but they were never printed for unknown reasons. This was Lithuania’s last attempt to issue Lithuanian banknotes. In 1940, the country was occupied and, in 1941, the litas was completely withdrawn from circulation and was no longer legal tender.
All the described banknotes are displayed at the Money Museum.