Antanas Žmuidzinavičius was a Lithuania

Lithuania

Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...

n painter and art collector. Sometimes he used Antanas Žemaitis ("Samogitian

Samogitian

Samogitian can refer to:* Anything pertaining to Samogitia , the Lowlands of Lithuania* Samogitian dialect, a dialect of the Lithuanian language, sometimes regarded as a Baltic language...

" - a loose translation of his surname into Lithuanian

Lithuanian language

Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...

) as his pen name

Pen name

A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...

.

Biography

In 1894 Žmuidzinavičius graduated from Veiveriai Teachers' Seminary

Veiveriai Teachers' Seminary

Veiveriai Teachers' Seminary was a seminary in Veiveriai, Suwałki Governorate, Congress Poland . It was established as teachers' courses in 1866 and reorganized into a seminary in 1872. It prepared teachers for elementary schools in the Suwałki Governorate. During World War I, the seminary was...

. From 1899 studied at various European universities. Later Žmuidzinavičius delivered lectures about Lithuania. Together with Lithuanian painter and composer M.K. Čiurlionis and other prominent Lithuanians organized the First Exhibition of Lithuanian Art at Petras Vileišis

Petras Vileišis

Petras Vileišis was a prominent Lithuanian engineer, political activist, and philanthropist.His early schooling took place in Panevežys. He then completed his secondary education at the Šiauliai Gymnasium, graduating with honors. In 1874, he completed his studies at St. Petersburg University, with...

 house

Vileišis Palace

Vileišis Palace is a Neo-baroque style architectural ensemble in Vilnius, Lithuania, built for Petras Vileišis. Vileišis was a prominent Lithuanian engineer, political activist, publisher, and philanthropist who commissioned the palace in 1904 and supervised its construction. The ensemble consists...

. Between 1926 and 1940 he taught drawing in Kaunas

Kaunas

Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...

, and in 1947 Žmuidzinavičius became a professor. Among his most famous paintings are Gavo laišką (Received a Letter, 1904), Paskutiniai spinduliai (Last Rays, 1908), Estijos peizažas (Landscape of Estonia, 1929).

Antanas Žmuidzinavičius died in 1966 and was buried in Petrašiūnai Cemetery

Petrašiunai Cemetery

Petrašiūnai Cemetery is Lithuania's premiere last resting place formally designated for graves of people influential in national history, politics, arts, and science.- Location :...

, Kaunas. Žmuidzinavičius Museum

Žmuidzinavicius Museum

Žmuidzinavičius Museum, commonly known as the Devils' Museum , is a museum in Kaunas, Lithuania, dedicated to collecting and exhibiting sculptures and carvings of devils from all over the world. As of 2009, its holdings encompass about 3,000 exhibits. The collection was initiated by painter Antanas...

was established in his former house.