Readings in the Spirit of Italy IV

The Jānis Akuraters Museum (Riga, Ojāra Vācieša Street 6a) invites you on Tuesday, February 11, at 18:00 to the event “Readings in the Spirit of Italy IV” to jointly read and discuss Jānis Akuraters' story “The Resurrection of the Flesh”, Miķelis Valters' essay “In Florence. A Study of Art History and Art Theory” and Laima Akuratere's notes from art history lectures by Boris Vipers.

The poet Jānis Akuraters and Marija Anna Akuratere gave their only daughter the names Laima Agita. In the family, she was most often called Laimīte. Laima Akuratere (1910–1969), after finishing the 3rd Gymnasium of the City of Riga, studied Romance languages in the Faculty of Philology at the University of Latvia. Even during her studies, she was particularly interested in Renaissance and medieval culture and literature, including the translation of works by Italian authors. Laima did not complete her studies at the University of Latvia but continued to engage in translation and poetry. The Renaissance era was also close to Jānis Akuraters. In his autobiography “Reflections of Days”, he wrote that in his first library, which had about 1,400 books but unfortunately was destroyed during World War I, he had acquired nearly all the most valuable books on the Renaissance period in Italy. In 1913, in the “Universal Library” series, the “Renaissance Novels” translated by Jānis Akuraters and Marija Anna Akuratere were published. In 1914, two poems by Michelangelo Buonarroti were published in Latvian for the first time, translated by Jānis Akuraters, in the newspaper “Latvia”. The Renaissance era also inspired several of Jānis Akuraters' works. One of them is the story “The Resurrection of the Flesh”, which will be read at the event on February 11.

The Renaissance era was also close to Miķelis Valters (1874–1968). He was a political figure and poet. In 1909, his book “In Florence. A Study of Art History and Art Theory” was published, in which the works of early Italian Renaissance artists are examined in detail. At a time when there were no Latvian authors' studies in art history and professional analysis of art works in exhibition descriptions and critiques were only gradually forming, Miķelis Valters' book about Florence and its artists was a marvel.

During the readings in the spirit of Italy on Laima's name day, there will be an opportunity to explore another text about Renaissance art. In the collection of the Latvian National Museum of Literature and Music, there are preserved notebooks from Laima Akuratere's study time, including notes from art history lectures. The art history lectures were delivered to her by the outstanding art scholar Boris Vipers. He graduated from the Faculty of History and Philology at Moscow University in 1911 and furthered his knowledge in Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. From 1924 to 1941, he lived in Riga and was a lecturer in art sciences at the Latvian Academy of Arts and the University of Latvia. He wrote books on both Latvian art history and the Italian Renaissance – “Giotto” (1938). As Laima's study notebook shows, she passed the art history course with Boris Vipers “Very successfully”.

The tradition of reading the works and translations of Jānis Akuraters, Laima Akuratere, and their contemporaries with museum specialists at the Jānis Akuraters Museum began in May 2022, when enthusiasts were invited to “Readings on the Veranda”. As the colder season began, the reading afternoons moved from the veranda to the Bright Salon, Laima's Room, and the Fireplace Hall. The readings continue for the third season, once a month, inviting enthusiasts.

Admission fee: 2 EUR, for pupils, students, seniors – 1.50 EUR.

The event will be photographed. Photos and video materials will be published on internet resources and used in museum publicity events.