The winner of the National Prize, art researcher Prof. Dr. Nijolė Lukšionytė died on November 28, 2014. The late professor is buried in Kaunas Petrašiūnai Cemetery.

Nijolė Lukšionytė was born in Ežaičiai Village, Klaipėda district, on the 30th of April of 1954. She graduated from Gargždai Secondary School in 1972. In 1972-1977 she studied art history and theory at the State Institute of Arts (present Vilnius Academy of Arts). She chose the theme of architecture of the tsar period (modern Vilnius architecture), which was considered not worth the research in Lithuania, for her diploma work.

After the studies N.Lukšionytė started working at the Institute of Architecture and Construction in Kaunas at once. She was the post-graduate student of this institute in 1979-1981. She defended the thesis “Stylistic Development of Lithuanian Architecture in 1820-1920” in Moscow, Soviet Union Institute of Art Criticism in 1984 and was conferred the degree of a candidate for art criticism (the degree of doctor of humanities was granted in 1993). Nijolė Lukšionytė worked at the Institute of Architecture and Construction, Section of History of Architecture until 2001 – at the beginning she was the junior scientific associate and after the defence of the thesis – the senior scientific associate. She participated in the preparation of the list of Lithuanian culture monuments – she studied the architecture of Vilnius, Kaunas, Druskininkai, Lithuanian manors and churches of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. She headed the preparation of the 3rd volume of History of Lithuanian Architecture (completed in 1996, published in 2000).

During the years of rebirth, Nijolė Lukšionytė joined the movement of monuments management, and was one of the initiators of this movement in Kaunas. She wrote articles on issues of heritage value and preservation and announced several dozen publications in the mass media. From 1990 she is a certified expert of culture values; she has performed studies of various buildings. After rallying a group of specialists, she headed the preparation of the Regulation on Protection of Kaunas Žaliakalnis Historical Part (prepared in 2002, approved of in 2004) and, along with assistants, performed the research and evaluation of heritage in the territory of Žaliakalnis, which had to be announced the culture reserve of Kaunas City Municipality, in 2007.

In 1996 Nijolė Lukšionytė started reading lectures at Vytautas Magnus University, Faculty of Arts. At first she read the course on architecture of historicism and modern style, later she participated in the preparation of the Master’s study programme Protection of Culture Values and prepared two special courses for it. On the 12th of March of 2003 she was conferred the pedagogical title of docent. She reads several subjects for Master students: Animation of Architectural Heritage; Policy of Culture; Critical Analysis of Object of Architecture and one subject for Doctor students (Methodology of Research in History of Architecture). Four Doctor students supervised by N. Lukšionytė defended their theses in 2003-2008. After the habilitation procedure at Vytautas Magnus University, N. Lukšionytė was granted the professor’s title on the 2nd of December of 2005.

The direction of N. Lukšionytė’s scientific research is development processes in Lithuanian architecture of the 19th century – beginning of the 20th century; theory and practice of culture heritage. Results of scientific work: 4 author’s monographs, an educational book, study History of Lithuanian Architecture, volume III (with co-authors) prepared, several dozen scientific articles published, a number of publications on issues of history of architecture and heritage protection.

N. Lukšionytė was a member of the Lithuanian Art Historians’ Society (1995), Lithuanian Artists’ Union (1990), expert of historical-artistic development of the Culture Heritage Department (1990), member of ICOMOS Lithuanian National Committee (1993), member of Kaunas Archdiocese Church Art Committee (2002), expert of Lithuanian State Fund of Science and Studies (2003).

In last years of life the professor was involved in the documenting activity of Kaunas wooden heritage along with students, volunteers and colleagues, initiated the establishment of the data base and website www.archimede.lt, consulted inhabitants of wooden houses on issues of preservation and management of such houses.

The bibliography of N. Lukšionytė (Tolvaišienė) works is announced in the publications: Kaunas Artists. Traces in Time. Kaunas: Kaunas Artists’ Support Fund, 2003, p. 266-269. Lithuanian Art Historians’ Society. Bibliography 1995-2004.- ISBN 9955-624-19-1.-Vilnius: VDA publishing house, 2005, p. 101-105.

The most important scientific works

1. Lietuvos architektūros istorija / III - nuo XIX a. II dešimtmečio iki 1918 m. (History of Lithuanian Architecture / III – from the 2nd decade of the 19th century to 1918). Vilnius: Savastis, 2000, 509 p. (author and scientific editor, has prepared 20 sheets of the book text out of the total volume of 32 sheets; co-authors: A.Jankevičienė, V.Levandauskas, M.Rupeikienė), ISBN 9986-420-32-6.

2. Istorizmas ir modernas Vilniaus architektūroje (Historicism and Modernity in Vilnius Architecture). Vilnius: VDA publishing house, 2000. 180 p. ISSN 1392-0316.

3. Gubernijos laikotarpis Kauno architektūroje. Svarbiausi pastatai ir jų kūrėjai (1843-1915) (Gubernia Period in Kaunas Architecture. Most Important Buildings and Their Creators (1843-1915). Kaunas: VDU publishing house, 2001, 178 p. ISBN 9986-501-81-4

4. Antanas Vivulskis (1877-1919): tradicijų ir modernumo dermė (Antanas Vivulskis (1877-1919): Harmony between Tradition and Modernity). Vilnius: VDA publishing house, 2002. 163 p. ISBN 9986-571-79-0.

5. Architekci Wileńscy 1850-1914. Bydgoszcz: Biblioteka Wileńskich Rozmaitości, 2005, s.71. ISSN 1230-9915.

6. Architektūrologijos pagrindai. Mokomoji knyga pagrindinių studijų studentams (Basics of Architecturology. Educational book for full-time students). Kaunas: VDU publishing house, 2007, 103 p. ISBN 978-9955-12-240-1.

7. “Meno šventovės” vaizdinys XX a. pradžios Vilniaus pastatuose // XX amžiaus pradžios Vilnius: modernėjančios kultūros židinys. Dailės istorijos studijos, 1 (Image of “Temple of Art” in Vilnius Buildings of the Beginning of the 20th Century // Vilnius in the beginning of the 20th century: Heart of Culture Going Modern). Vilnius: Institute of Culture, Philosophy and Art, 2004, p. 100-112 (in Lithuanian and Polish). ISBN 9986-638-48-8

8. Kauno Žaliakalnio reglamentas ir tvarios raidos nuostatos // Meno istorija ir kritika.- T.1 [Kultūros paveldas: prarastos vertybės, neišnaudotos galimybės] (Regulation on Kaunas Žaliakalnis and Rules for Sustainable Development // History and Criticism of Art - Vol.1 [Culture heritage: lost values, unused possibilities]).- ISBN 9955-12-108-4.- Kaunas: VDU publishing house, 2005, p.24-31.

9. Architektūrologijos raida Lietuvoje: kelios pastabos apie pločio ir gylio matmenis // Lietuvos dailės istorikų draugijos biuletenis 2006 (Development of Architecturology in Lithuania: several notes about dimensions of width and depth // Bulletin of Lithuanian Art Historians’ Society 2006). Vilnius: VDA publishing house, 2006. - p. 32-40, ISBN 9955-624-53-1;

10. Apie tvarią raidą ir Kauno Naujamiestį // Kultūros paveldas ir visuomenė XXI a., nacionaliniai ir tarptautiniai aspektai: mokslinės konferencijos medžiaga [Vilnius, 2006] (About Sustainable Development and Kaunas New Town // Culture Heritage and Society in the 21st Century, National and International Aspects: material of scientific conference [Vilnius, 2006]). Vilnius: VDA publishing house, 2006. p.111-123. ISBN 9955-624-69-8

11. Prądy racjonalistyczne w architekturze Wilna około 1910 roku / Studia z architektury nowoczesnej.T.2, Architektura i wnętrza 1905-1923. ISBN978-83-231-2117-6. Toruń:Wydawnictwa UMK,2007,p.59-67;

12. Romantizmo sklaida architekto Tomo Tišeckio projektuose, skirtuose Lietuvos dvarams // Acta Academiae artium Vilnensis. Lietuvos dvarai: kultūros ir šaltinių tyrimai (Spread of Romanticism in Projects of Tomas Tišeckis for Lithuanian Manors // Acta Academiae artium Vilnensis. Lithuanian Manors: Studies of Culture and Sources). Vilnius : Vilnius Academy of Arts publishing house. ISSN 1392-0316. 47-48 (2008), p. 195-216.

13. Nykstantis medinis Kaunas / A Vanishing wooden Kaunas – introductory text for the book: Surgailis Andrius. Medinis / Wooden Kaunas, Vilnius: Versus Aureus, 2008.

Nijolė Lukšionytė is the co-author of books about Vilnius Architecture (1985), Kaunas Architecture (1991), Vilnius Architecture in 1900-2005 (2005), Kaunas St. Virgin Mary’s Assumption Church (2005), Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian Castles and Manors (2007, in Latvian), Kaunas St. Apostles Peter and Paul’s Arch-cathedral Basilica (2008).

Awards and evaluations

1984 – Literature and Art Prize for criticism of art and architecture.

1997-1998 – State stipend of the Republic of Lithuania of the highest degree.

2001 – Diploma of the Lithuanian Architects’ Union, Kaunas Branch for scientific and critical works in architecture.

2003 – Diploma of the Lithuanian Art Historians’ Society for the best art criticism publications in 2002-2003.

2004 – Letter of Gratitude of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania for nurturance of culture values.

2006 – National Culture and Art Prize