Kundzins, Peteris

About the Artist:

Peteris Kundzins [Pēteris Kundziņš], (1886-1958) was a Latvian landscape painter and designer of book covers, posters and theatrical scenery. He focused mainly on the landscape genre and created landscapes that with a deep sense of the natural world.

These were psychologically and spiritually saturated works with clouds occupying most of the canvas. His clouds and depictions of atmospheric phenomena are spatially and emotionally refined. They inspire philosophical reflections on the natural grandeur and power of nature. In Latvia Kundzins is still commonly referred to as “Cloud Kundzins.”

Kundzins’ later work in was in theater scene painting. He is considered one of the foundations of modern Latvian theater. Kundzins also worked as an art teacher at different schools in both Russia and Latvia. Later, he was the primary scene painter at the New Riga Theatre Workshop and the National Opera. [DES-07/15]