Darijus Gerlikas
Jewellery designer, teacher, and Associate professor at Vilnius Academy of Arts, Darijus Gerlikas runs his Jewellery School & Gallery Vilnensis. More than two hundred creatives graduated from the school since it opened in 2005. The alumni participate in exhibitions, win prizes and run their own successful jewellery design businesses. This is a beautiful testament to Darijus’ ability to not only impart knowledge with patience, achieve that students learn to apply the skills in practice but also, and probably most importantly, awaken and nurture their creativity and confidence in themselves and their ideas.
Darijus Gerlikas, Vilnius, 2020
An interesting fact about how the school came to be called Vilnensis. It is located in the house across from the street of the Dominican Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius Old Town. In this very house on Dominican street used to be goldsmiths' Jacob Gierke’s workshop in the 17th century. He was one of the most renowned Lithuanian Grand Duchy's watchmakers, and he signed all his pieces, as was the custom at the time, adding to his name a toponym – Vilnensis (Lat. a person from Vilnius).
Darijus Gerlikas reconstructed several historical rings: 17th century Renaissance rings of Queens of Poland and Grand Duchesses of Lithuania Elžbieta Habsburgaitė (Elizabeth of Austria, 1436–1505) and Barbora Radvilaitė (Barbara Radziwiłł, 1520/23–1551).
Elžbieta Habsburgaitė's (Elizabeth of Austria) golden ring with diamonds (reconstruction).
Barbora Radvilaite's (Barbara Radziwiłł) golden ring with ruby, emerald, and diamond (reconstruction).
Both rings were discovered under the Vilnius Cathedral after severe floods uncovered the royal crypts in the spring of 1930. After WWII both rings were lost and reconstructions were made based on drawings by artist Jurgis Hopenas and very detailed descriptions.
Barbora Radvilaitė was buried with regal symbols and jewellery, one of the rings, probably gifted to her by her husband King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Žygimantas Augustas (Sigismund II Augustus, 1520–1572) was adorned with black vitreous enamel and had three gems – diamond, ruby, and emerald. Ruby symbolized power, wealth, and protection; emerald – could confer riches, power, and eloquence; diamond – immortality and spiritual awakening and said to have healing properties.
The rings are on display at the Treasury of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.
King's ring (probably Vytautas' the Great, c. 1350–1430) gold, pearl (reconstruction).
A ring, gold, enamel, ruby.
Before founding his Jewellery School & Gallery Vilnensis, Darijus Gerlikas lived in Italy, Florence for eight years – he studied jewellery design and later did his vocational training & practice with a local master jeweller and goldsmith Leonardo Chilleri. There he learned the traditional Florentine buccellati technique dating back to the Renaissance. Great Renaissance artists like Lorenzo Ghiberti, Bassio Bandinelli and Benvenuto Cellini, all were goldsmiths before becoming renowned as painters and sculptors. Buccellati (now eponymous with Buccellati family name) combines various Renaissance period techniques such as inlaying different metals, cutting out a mix of geometric shapes, and the extensive use of texture engraving. Its very precise, handmade openwork cutting requires a great deal of professional craftsmanship. Darijus now specializes in designing timeless jewellery pieces – works of art, and teaches his students to create this very distinctive and unique look – rich textural quality, engraved surfaces, openwork, lace-like-cutting, adorned with diamonds or colourful gemstones.
A bracelet, gold and diamonds.
A ring, silver and gold, with pink and yellow sapphires.
School & Gallery Vilnensis website
Fine Crafts Association of Vilnius and Vilnius Old Town Renewal Agency presents Vilnensis Jewellery School & Gallery, video (with English subtitles)
Interview with Darijus Gerlikas, magazine Naujoji Romuva (in Lithuanian), pdf., p. 37–39.
Vilnensis – Jewellery School & Gallery looking very Christmassy…