Description of the attraction
The famous sculpture and recreation park is located 3 kilometers from the town of Druskininkai in the village of Naujasodes, on the territory of the Antanas Cesnulis manor. The park is a unique exhibition of sculptures carved from wood by the folk artist Antanas Cesnulis.
Antanas Chesnulis once worked as a tractor driver in the nursery of the Druskininkai forestry enterprise. Here he not only regulated machines and mechanisms, but also planted and then nursed rows of pines. But, the most interesting thing is that no one in his environment suspected that the talent of an artist was hidden in him. A. Česnulis studied painting at Vilnius State Secondary School of Arts for 3 years. Then he built a house for himself, he himself made furniture: cabinets, tables, stools, beds. Decorated the house with artistic cornices, original chandeliers, cozy curtains.
Working in the forestry, Antanas made tables, benches, lamps, stools. Later they began to entrust him with more complex work. The master made artistic cases of telephone sets from pine outgrowths, and he also made large wooden barriers. I spent a lot of effort and patience folding the windows of a souvenir booth out of uneven knots.
For the first time, an author's exhibition of Antanas Chesnulis was organized in the Forest Echo Museum. Here were presented portraits, lamps, bookplates, wood bas-reliefs, sculptures. His first major work was a sculptural group dedicated to the Lithuanian folk tale "Spruce - Queen of Snakes". The artist has long been in search of forms of expressiveness for the figures of Azuolas, Egle, Dryabule. The sculptures organically blended with the beauty of the park.
The whole republic quickly learned about the creations of the capable master. Chesnulis began to work not only for his own nursery. The Panevezys Forestry Production Association now has a lumberjack table made by an artist. For the Puniai pine forest, he created sculptures of a warrior and a priest, and a monumental pillar was erected on the Laesliai collective farm.
For the first time, Chesnulis was invited to a gathering of folk craftsmen. At the first workshop, he created a sculpture of a bull-maker and donated it to the Lithuanian National Park. Then he came up with a beautiful work "Two cockerels", which was presented to the kindergarten of the collective farm named after A. Snechkus.
Every year Antanas Cesnulis takes part in the seminar of the Folk Art Society on the Curonian Spit. The young artist was awarded the honorary title of People's Master.
But back to the estate of Antanas Chesnulis. It stands on the banks of the Ratnichele River. At the entrance to the estate, visitors are greeted by a windmill. It consists of 4 floors, on each of which there are sculptures created by the owner. Guests are gripped by a quiet, fabulous mood. The mysterious atmosphere in the park is created by wooden sculptures located among trees, bushes, on the hills of a magnificent landscape. One gets the impression that they have been standing here for many hundreds of years and have long become akin to the surrounding nature.
If you walk from the mill in the direction of the Ratnichele River, you will see the unique Rupintoyele wall. In its stone niches are carved figures of the grieving Christ, the work of all Lithuanian masters. Along the river bank you can see the composition "Life of a Man and a Tree". It is a unique combination of the natural beauty of old pine and carved oak figures.
You will also see a stage here, on which the dance action unfolds to the music. And around there are characters from the works of Lithuanian authors, Antanas Venuolis, Ventsas Kreve and others. And finally, you will see a large gazebo with tables. Shown here are the reliefs "The Way of the Bread". The exposition is constantly updated with new creations.
