Lietuvos Banknotai. Lithuanian Banknotes

LIETUVOS

BANKNOTAI LITHUANIAN

BANKNOTES

The Lithuanian School of Currency Design

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LEIDINYS SKIRIAMAS LIETUVOS BANKO IR LITO 80 METØ JUBILIEJUI DEDICATED TO THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BANK OF LITHUANIA AND THE LITAS

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Lietuviðkoji pinigø kûrimo mokykla

LIETUVOS

BANKNOTAI LITHUANIAN

BANKNOTES

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UDK 336.74(474.5)(084) Li-227

Sudarytojas / Compiled by Juozas Galkus Teksto autoriai / Text by Arûnas Dulkys, Juozas Galkus Redakcijos kolegija / Editorial board Vytautas Aleksiejûnas, Nijolë Baltrûnienë, Arûnas Dulkys Dailininkas / Designed by Bronius Leonavièius Konsultantas / Consultant Arûnas Dulkys

Lietuvos bankas dëkoja Lietuviø literatûros ir tautosakos institutui, Lietuvos dailës muziejui, Lietuvos nacionaliniam muziejui, M. K. Èiurlionio dailës muziejui, taip pat Daliai Grimalauskaitei, Giedriui Jonaièiui, Alvydui Mandeikai, Raimondui Miknevièiui, Rûtai ir Kazimierui Paðkauskams, Liudvikui Pociui, Viliui Puronui, Ryèiui Valantinui ir kt. uþ pagalbà rengiant leidiná The Bank of Lithuania would like to express its gratitude to the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, Lithuanian Art Museum, National Museum of Lithuania, M. K. Èiurlionis Art Museum, as well as Dalia Grimalauskaitë, Giedrius Jonaitis, Alvydas Mandeika, Raimondas Miknevièius, Rûta and Kazimieras Paðkauskas, Liudvikas Pocius, Vilius Puronas, Rytis Valantinas and others for their assistance in preparing the publication

ISBN 9986-651-31-X

© Lietuvos bankas, 2002

Gerbiamieji, Jûs laikote savo rankose unikalø leidiná. Tai – pirmoji tokia knyga apie Lietuvos banknotus. Kiekvienos valstybës nepriklausomumo simbolis yra jos pinigai. Jau XV–XVII a. Lietuvos Didþioji Kunigaikðtystë turëjo iðplëtotà pinigø ir finansø ûká, lietuviðki pinigai buvo kalami Vilniuje, Kaune. Lietuvos istorijai buvo labai svarbûs 1922 metai. Steigiamasis Seimas nutarë ávesti savus pinigus – litus. Lietuviðkas litas ágijo pasitikëjimà, tapo viena ið tvirèiausiø valiutø pasaulyje. Lietuvai atkûrus Nepriklausomybæ, 1990 m. ásteigtas Lietuvos bankas. Savi laikinieji pinigai talonai apyvartoje pasirodë 1992 m. pabaigoje, o 1993 m. birþelio 25 d. á apyvartà gráþo visiems brangus litas. Buvo pradëtos taikyti pirmosios pinigø politikos priemonës, aktyviai palaikomas stabilus lito kursas. Toks jis ir iðliko per tuos metus. Kito litø banknotø iðvaizda ir kokybë – jie periodiðkai atnaujinami, pradëta spausdinti dideliø nominalø banknotus. Mûsø ðalies dailininkø ir Lietuvos banko darbuotojø pastangø dëka mes turime lietuviðkus banknotus, atitinkanèius ðiuolaikinius piniginiø þenklø reikalavimus. Dëkoju knygos autoriams ir visiems, padëjusiems jà iðleisti.

Dear Reader, You are holding in your hands a unique publication – the first book of this kind about Lithuanian banknotes. Money is a symbol of any independent state. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania had a well-developed monetary and financial system as early as in the 15th–17th centuries; Lithuanian money was minted in Vilnius and Kaunas. The year 1922 was of supreme importance in the history of Lithuania: the Constituent Seimas (Parliament) passed a decision on the introduction of the national currency, the litas, witch gained credibility and became one of the strongest currencies in the world. After the independence of Lithuania was re-established, the Bank of Lithuania was restored in 1990. First, the national provisional currency, the talonas, appeared at the end of 1992, and on June 25, 1993 the cherished litas was issued again. The appearance and quality of litas banknotes changed over time: they have been periodically renewed, large denomination banknotes have been printed. Today, owing to the efforts of Lithuanian designers and Bank of Lithuania staff, we have Lithuanian banknotes that meet all requirements of the day. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the authors of the book and all those who have contributed to its publication.

Reinoldijus Ðarkinas Lietuvos banko valdybos pirmininkas Chairman of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania

Banknotes and Peculiarities of Their Composition

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Lietuviðkoji pinigø kûrimo mokykla The Lithuanian School of Currency Design

Banknotas – vos gramas popieriaus ir daþø, taèiau ði knyga galbût padës á já paþvelgti su tam tikru dvasingumu ir filosofija. Demokratijos viesulas, praûþæs per Vidurio ir Rytø Europà praëjusio amþiaus devintàjá deðimtmetá, suformavo naujas nepriklausomas valstybes. Norëdamos átvirtinti suverenitetà, pirmiausia jos turëjo ávesti savo nacionalines valiutas. Nors ir neturëdama patirties, jauna Lietuvos valstybë, 1990 m. kovo 11 d. atkûrusi Nepriklausomybæ, pradëjo svarstyti nacionalinës pinigø sistemos atkûrimo klausimà. Savos banknotø spaustuvës steigimo idëja buvo atmesta dël nedidelio Lietuvos gyventojø skaièiaus, be to, finansinë ir politinë situacija ðiame Europos regione taip pat buvo nedëkinga. Perëjimas á laisvosios rinkos ekonomikà turëjo ávykti per kaip galima trumpiausià laikà. Tai pagreitinti galëjo tik nacionaliniø pinigø sistemos sukûrimas ir valiutos iðleidimas. Taigi jaunos valstybës nacionalinës valiutos spausdinimas buvo patikëtas uþsienio spaustuvëms. Ne tik Lietuvoje, bet ir kitose Vidurio ir Rytø Europos valstybëse nacionaliniø valiutø atgimimas tapo puikia priemone atnaujintai nacionalinio tapatumo interpretacijai iðreikðti. Pinigai atliko ir reikðmingà simboliná vaidmená – juos iðleidþianti valstybë, ávesdama nacionalinæ valiutà, tarsi átvirtina savo suverenitetà. Prieð kalbëdami apie ðiuolaikinius litø banknotus, trumpam sugráþkime á tarpukario laikotarpá, kai 1922 m. spalio 2 d. pirmà kartà á apyvartà buvo iðleisti litø banknotai. Viena ðimtoji lito buvo pavadinta centu. Skubant kuo greièiau ávesti nacionalinæ valiutà, ne tik litai, bet ir centai buvo atspausdinti kaip popieriniai banknotai. Maþo formato, nelabai saugûs, taèiau pakankamai graþaus dizaino banknotai buvo atspausdinti Berlyne O. Elsnerio spaustuvëje (O. Elsner Printing House). Vëliau jau labiau apsaugoti banknotai buvo spausdinami Prahoje A. Hasës spaustuvëje (A. Hase Printing House). Ágijus patirties ir atsiradus geresnëms finansinëms galimybëms, 1925–

A banknote is just a gram of paper and inks, but this book will perhaps help us take a glance at it with some inspiration and philosophy. The whirlwind of democracy that swept through Central and Eastern Europe in the eighties of the previous century formed new independent states. The young state of Lithuania, whose independence was re-established on March 11, 1990, began considering the issues of the restoration of the national monetary system, although it did not have any experience. The transition to a free-market economy had to be completed in the possibly shortest time. Only creation of the national monetary system and introduction of the national currency could accelerate the process. The re-birth of the national currency was an ideal way not only for Lithuania but also for other Central and East European states to express a renewed interpretation of their national identity. Currency also played a significant symbolic role of asserting the sovereignty of a young state by issuing its national currency. Before starting to deal with present-day litas banknotes, we should make a short digression to the interwar period, when, on October 2, 1922, litas banknotes were first issued into circulation. One hundredth of the litas was named the centas. In order to speed up the introduction of the national currency, not only litas but also centas were printed as paper money. Banknotes of small size and nice design, while not secure enough, were printed by O. Elsner Printing House in Berlin. Later on, more secure banknotes were produced by A. Hase Printing House in Prague. In 1925–1926, when more experience was gained and the financial situation improved, the family of litas banknotes was supplemented by 500 and 1 000 litas notes that were well protected against counterfeiting and were printed by the English printing company Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co Ltd. The circulation and existence of litas banknotes was terminated on

The Lithuanian School of Currency Design

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Lietuvos bankas – lito tvirtovë

The Bank of Lithuania – the litas stronghold

1926 m. litø banknotø ðeimà papildë gerai apsaugoti nuo padirbinëjimo 500 ir 1 000 litø banknotai, kuriuos atspausdino Anglijos spaustuvë Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co Ltd. Lito banknoto cirkuliacijà ir egzistencijà 1941 m. kovo 25 d. nutraukë sovietø okupacija. Pusei amþiaus sustojo nacionalinës valiutos istorijos laikrodis, ir tik 1993 m. birþelio 25 d. Lietuvos bankas á apyvartà vël iðleido litø banknotus. Litø banknotø kûrimas nebuvo monolitinis statinys – ðis procesas turëjo begalæ spalvø ir niuansø. Ðioje knygoje tai bus nagrinëjama labiau kultûriniu ir meniniu aspektu. Dabartinis laikotarpis ypaè reikðmingas, kadangi Lietuva, kaip ir kitos Rytø Europos ðalys, siekia ástoti á Europos Sàjungà, todël nacionalinius pinigus greitai gali pakeisti kosmopolitiniai eurai. Lietuvos bankas pastaràjá deðimtmetá iðleido daugiau negu vienà kiekvieno nominalo banknotø laidà, taèiau ðiame leidinyje daugiau vietos bus skirta paskutiniosioms banknotø laidoms. Kiekviena valstybë turi savo supratimà, kaip turëtø atrodyti nacionalinës valiutos banknotas. Kiekviena banknotø spaustuvë, turëdama keliø deðimtmeèiø, o kai kurios net keliø ðimtmeèiø darbo patirtá, taip pat daro ryðkià átakà spausdinamø banknotø dizainui ir juose naudojamoms apsaugos priemonëms. Banknotø spaustuvës puoselëja ir kruopðèiai saugo banknotø spausdinimo technologijos ypatybes, taèiau per ðimtmeèius susiformavo tam tikri bendri banknotø dizaino kûrimo principai, kuriø átaka jauèiama daugelyje pasaulio banknotø. Jau IV tarptautinëje Interpolo konferencijoje pinigø padirbinëjimo klausimais, ávykusioje 1961 m. rugsëjo 1 d. Kopenhagoje, buvo atkreiptas dëmesys á tai, kad ðiame technikos amþiuje në vienas pinigø gamybos procesas pats savaime neapsaugo nuo padirbinëjimo, todël tik visø apsaugos priemoniø derinimas gali sutrukdyti pinigø klastotojams. Konferencija priëmë rezoliucijà, kad pinigus iðleidþianèios institucijos turëtø taikyti aukðèiausius kokybës standartus spausdinamiems banknotams. Kuriant ir projektuojant banknotus, turi

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March 25, 1941, as a consequence of the Soviet occupation. The clock counting the history of the national currency was stopped for half a century, and it was only on June 25, 1993, that the Bank of Lithuania issued litas banknotes into circulation again. The creation of litas banknotes was not a monolithic construction – it was a manifold process full of different colours and nuances. The present period is very significant for the reason that Lithuania, as well as other countries of Eastern Europe, is seeking membership in the European Union, and national currencies may be replaced by the cosmopolitan euro in the near future. The Bank of Lithuania has issued more than one series of each denomination of litas banknotes during the past ten years, but this publication will focus mainly on the recent banknote issues. Each country has its own understanding what a banknote of the national currency should look like. Banknote printers constantly develop technological peculiarities of banknote printing and protect them; nevertheless, certain common principles of banknote design have been established over several centuries and their influence may be traced in the banknotes of many countries worldwide. The 4th Interpol International Conference on Currency Counterfeiting, held in Copenhagen on September 1, 1961, noted that in this age of technology no single currency production process was in itself a sufficient measure against counterfeiting, and only a combination of all technical security features in producing money could be used successfully against counterfeiting. The Conference adopted a resolution that currency-issuing authorities should apply the highest standards of quality in printed banknotes. When creating and designing banknotes, a large selection of security measures should be incorporated both in paper production and banknote printing. Another common standpoint was reached at the Conference that shabby and worn-out banknotes in circulation reduce the respect

Paslëptas vaizdas apsunkina banknoto kopijavimà

bûti naudojama didelë apsaugos priemoniø ávairovë tiek gaminant popieriø, tiek ir spausdinant banknotus. Ðioje konferencijoje taip pat buvo prieita prie nuomonës, kad apsitrynæ ir susidëvëjæ banknotai cirkuliacijoje menkina pagarbà, kurià pinigams turëtø jausti þmonës. Buvo atkreiptas dëmesys á tai, kad tokie pinigai praranda savo autentiðkas savybes, o tai palengvina pinigø padirbinëtojø darbà. Todël buvo priimta rezoliucija, kad pinigus leidþianèios institucijos iðimtø ið apyvartos visus susidëvëjusius, o apyvartoje paliktø tik gerus pinigus. V tarptautinëje Interpolo konferencijoje pinigø padirbinëjimo klausimais, ávykusioje 1969 m. spalio 7–10 d. Meksike, atkreiptas dëmesys á tai, kad daugiausia padirbtø pinigø yra atspausdinta ofsetu. Kitas spausdinimo bûdas – giliaspaudë – yra vienintelis spausdinimo bûdas, kuris tikrai garantuoja apsaugà, nes tik labai nedaug spaustuviø atlieka ðá procesà. Todël konferencijos metu buvo priimta rezoliucija, kuri rekomenduoja spausdinant banknotus bûtinai naudoti giliaspaudæ. Be to, spausdinimas giliaspaude turi bûti aukðèiausios kokybës, kad bûtø galima iðgauti visus graviravimo technika atliktus niuansus. Ið Lietuvos banknotø á mus þvelgia þmonës, kuriø vaidmuo kuriant ðalies nacionaliná tapatumà buvo labai reikðmingas. Portretai vyrauja daugelyje pasaulio valiutø, nes bûtent jie turi daugybæ sudëtingø ir iðraiðkingø linijø, kuriø visuma spausdinant giliaspaude padeda sukurti saugø ir sunkiai nukopijuojamà banknotà. Iðgraviruotame portrete turi bûti ðvelniø toniniø perëjimø, suteikianèiø portretui ne tik gyvumo, bet toks banknotas saugesnis, nes kuo daugiau neryðkiø ðeðëliniø perëjimø ir smulkiø detaliø, tuo sunkiau já nukopijuoti. Kiekvienas banknotas privalo turëti þenklø akliesiems ir silpnaregiams. Ðie þenklai taip pat spausdinami giliaspaude, todël jie lengvai apèiuopiami.

for the currency of the public. It was pointed out that such money loses the original characteristics, which facilitates the work of counterfeiters. A resolution was passed that issuing authorities should withdraw all worn-out money from circulation and should only keep the money which is in good condition in circulation. The 5th International Counterfeit Currency Conference of the Interpol held in Mexico City from 7 to 10 October 1969 noted that the large majority of counterfeits were printed by offset. Another printing process, known as intaglio, was the only one to offer guaranteed protection, as there was a very limited number of printers capable of using this printing process. In this relation a resolution was adopted by the Conference, recommending that intaglio should be used for printing banknotes and the intaglio used should be of the highest quality to gain the maximum advantages that the engraving technique could offer. Lithuanian banknotes bear the portraits of the people who had the most significant role in creating the national identity. Portraits predominate on the banknotes of many countries, as they are formed of a great number of complex and expressive lines, the entirety of which, printed in intaglio, facilitates creation of secure banknotes that are difficult to copy. The engraved portrait should have soft tonal shifts, which not only make a portrait look more lively, but also add more security to the banknote, due to the fact that the greater the number of slight shade shifts and tiny details the portrait has, the more difficult it becomes to copy the banknote. Each banknote should have a sign for the blind and weak-sighted people. Such signs are also printed in intaglio and can be easily felt by touch. This Conference also adopted a resolution on banknote paper production. Banknotes printed on banknote paper manufactured from natural materials – usually cotton – are characterised by a spe-

The Lithuanian School of Currency Design

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A latent image makes a banknote difficult to copy

Vandenþenklis atpaþástamas net iðplautame banknote

A watermark remains recognizable even in a washed banknote

Ðioje konferencijoje taip pat buvo priimta rezoliucija dël banknotø popieriaus gamybos. Tik popieriniai pinigai savitai ðiugþda, nes jø popierius gaminamas ið natûralaus gamtos produkto – daþniausiai ið medvilnës. Pinigus leidþianèios institucijos banknotø neturëtø spausdinti popieriuje, kuris naudojamas kitais komerciniais tikslais. Ðiomis rekomendacijomis vadovaujasi visi centriniai bankai – paprastai kiekvieno nominalo banknotui yra gaminamas kitokio atspalvio popierius. Þmogui, nors ið pradþiø tai gali atrodyti ir neátikëtina, banknoto ðiugþdesys yra labai svarbu psichologiðkai. Per ilgà laikà jis águdo vien tik ið banknotø popieriaus specifinio ðiugþdesio atpaþinti tikrus pinigus. Minëtoje konferencijoje aptartas ir vandenþenklio naudojimas banknotø dizaine. Priimtoje rezoliucijoje buvo paþymëta, jog bûtina kurti pakankamo dydþio ir geros kokybës vandenþenklá, kad jame vaizduojamas objektas bûtø lengvai atpaþástamas, o pats vandenþenklis nebûtø uþdengtas sudëtingais ir ryðkiais kitais dizaino elementais. Todël ir litø banknotø vandenþenkliø vietose aiðkiai pastebimas spalvø tonø suðvelnëjimas. Banknotø gamybai naudojamas ne tik specialus popierius, bet ir specialûs daþai. Daþai taip pat turi bûti gaminami iðskirtinai tik banknotams, kad jø negalima bûtø ásigyti komercinëje daþø rinkoje. Popieriniø pinigø daþø savybës yra labai svarbus jø kokybës veiksnys. Banknotø daþai privalo turëti aukðèiausio lygio atsparumà ir patvarumà tokiems fiziniams veiksniams, kaip ðviesa, trintis, karðtas ar ðaltas vanduo ir kt., bei tokioms cheminëms medþiagoms, kaip tirpikliai, skalbikliai, rûgðtys ir pan. Minëtoje Interpolo konferencijoje priimta rezoliucija, nurodanti, jog pinigus iðleidþianèios institucijos turëtø nustatyti grieþtus reikalavimus, kaip pasirinkti daþus banknotams spausdinti. Kuriant banknotø dizainà, labai svarbi yra spalvø ir nacionalinio tapatumo sàsaja. Nors ðiuolaikiniai banknotai gana spalvingi, taèiau

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cific crackle. Currency issuing institutions should not use paper which is widely used for other commercial purposes. Strange as it may seem, the crackling of a banknote is very important to people psychologically. Over the time they have become skilled in telling a genuine banknote from counterfeits just by this specific crackle of banknote paper. The above Conference also considered the use of the watermark in the design of banknotes. It was stated that the watermark should be of adequate size and quality so that the subject of the watermark could be easily recognized. The watermark itself should not be overprinted by other complicated and too distinct elements of the design. Apart from specific paper, banknote production also uses specific inks. Inks should also be manufactured specifically for printing banknotes, so that they could not be commercially available in the market. Banknote inks should have the highest possible degree of resistance and stability with regard to physical factors such as light, friction, hot or cold water, etc., and to chemical agents such as solvents, detergents, acids, etc. A resolution was adopted in the above Interpol Conference, that currency issuing institutions should lay down stringent conditions for the choice of inks in printing banknotes. The relationship between colours and the national identity is of great importance in the design of banknotes. Although modern banknotes are quite colourful, it is quite easy to notice that one colour usually prevails. Many factors influence the range of colours: the artist’s choice, the decision of experts of central banks, and the link between the colour to the represented object. However, most of central banks stick to the principal rule that banknotes of each denomination should have a dominant colour. The 6th Interpol International Counterfeit Currency Conference

Sutapimo þenklo meninis atlikimas turi intriguoti

visai nesunku pastebëti, jog viena ið spalvø vyrauja. Daugybë veiksniø lemia banknotø spalvø spektrà – tai ir paèiø dailininkø pasirinkimas, ir centriniø bankø ekspertø sprendimas, ir spalvos susiejimas su pasirinktu vaizduojamu objektu. Taèiau dauguma centriniø bankø laikosi pagrindinës taisyklës – kiekvieno nominalo banknotas turi turëti jam skirtà vyraujanèià spalvà. VI tarptautinëje Interpolo konferencijoje pinigø padirbinëjimo klausimais, ávykusioje 1977 m. kovo 8–11 d. Madride, primygtinai raginama banknotus leidþianèias institucijas ir ateityje taikyti aukðtus banknotø apsaugos standartus. Spausdinant banknotus, turëtø bûti derinami ofseto ir giliaspaudës spausdinimo bûdai. Viena ið svarbiausiø apsaugos priemoniø, spausdinamø ofsetu, yra averso ir reverso sutapimo þenklas. Þiûrint á ðià apsaugos priemonæ kiekvienoje banknoto pusëje atskirai, tai tëra tik á akis krentantis nesuprantamø geometriniø figûrëliø rinkinys. Taèiau þvelgiant á ðá þenklà prieð ðviesà, spalvotos figûrëlës susilieja á vienà pieðiná. Ðio þenklo meninis atlikimas turi intriguoti, kad kiekvienam, rankose laikanèiam banknotà, kiltø nenumaldomas noras já pakelti prieð ðviesà ir ásitikinti, jog tai ne spausdinimo klaida, o tiesiog lëktuvëlis ar knyga, kaip yra 2001 m. laidos 10 ir 20 litø banknotuose. Atsiþvelgiant á technikos paþangà, buvo atkreiptas dëmesys á tai, kad banknotø apsaugai naudojamas vandenþenklis privalo bûti daugiatonis, turintis daug ðeðëliø, smulkiø detaliø, gerai matomas prieð ðviesà, su pastovia vieta banknoto dizaine – bûtent toks vandenþenklis bus atpaþástamas net iðplautame ar sulankstytame banknote. Tokias apsaugos priemones, kaip vandenþenklis ar nominalo skaièiaus mikroperforacija, labiausiai pastebi þmonës. Popieriaus gamybos metu kartu su vandenþenkliu áterpiamas ir apsauginis siûlelis. Já ið banknoto iðtraukti nelengva. Ðiuolaikiniuose banknotuose siûlelio mikrotekstas ne iðspausdinamas daþais, o demetalizuojamas, todël plaunant banknotà cheminëmis medþiago-

held in Madrid from 8 to 11 March 1977 strongly recommended to the issuing authorities that high security standards should be further applied in banknote printing and both offset and intaglio printing processes should be combined. One of the basic security features that are printed in offset is the front to back perfect register mark. When this security feature is viewed on one side of a note, only a combination of meaningless small geometric patterns is seen. But when a banknote is held against the light, these coloured patterns on both sides form a combined image. The artistic implementation of this sign should have some intrigue, so that it would raise a natural desire to hold the banknote up against the light and to make sure that it is not a misprint but just a small image of a plane or a book, as in 10 and 20 litas banknotes of 2001 issue. Taking into account the technological progress the Conference noted the necessity of using a fixed mould multi-tone watermark with a great number of tiny details, which could be clearly seen against the light; such a watermark would remain recognizable even when a banknote has been washed or folded. In addition to the watermark, a security thread is embedded in banknote paper at the paper manufacturing stage. A micro-text of the security thread in modern banknotes is demetalised, not printed, and, as a result, it does not fade or disappear after washing the banknote with chemical agents (solvents and detergents). Different watermarks and security threads designed for each denomination of banknotes do not allow counterfeiters to use the paper of low denomination banknotes for forging banknotes of high denominations. With the introduction of colour copiers in the market, which made possible simultaneous reproduction of the front and back of documents (including banknotes), a real risk of the production of deceptive counterfeits emerged. Consequently, the 7th Interpol In-

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The artistic implementation of the see-through feature should have some intrigue

Apsauginis siûlelis áterpiamas popieriaus gamybos metu

A security thread is embedded into the paper at the banknote paper manufacturing stage

mis (tirpikliais, skalbimo priemonëmis), jis neiðblunka ir neiðnyksta. Skirtingi vandenþenkliai ir apsauginiai siûleliai banknotuose padirbinëtojams atima galimybæ naudoti maþesnio nominalo banknotø popieriø didesniø nominalø banknotams klastoti. Rinkoje pasirodþius spalvoto kopijavimo aparatams, kuriais vienu metu galima kopijuoti abi dokumentø (taip pat ir banknotø) puses, iðkilo reali rizika, kad tokiais aparatais galima padirbinëti pinigus. Todël VII tarptautinëje Interpolo konferencijoje padirbtø pinigø klausimais, ávykusioje 1987 m. birþelio 22–27 d. Lione, centriniams bankams rekomenduota kuriant banknotus numatyti specialias apsaugos priemones, kurios apsunkintø dokumentø kopijavimà ir padarytø tokias kopijas lengvai atpaþástamas. Tuo tikslu banknotø dizaine naudojami apsauginiai tinkleliai. Jie spausdinami ofsetine daugiaspalve spauda su vaivorykðtës efektu ir specifine smulkiø linijø, kurioms kertantis suformuojami erdviniai dizaino elementai, struktûra. Toks plonø skirtingø ir persipinanèiø spalvø linijø spausdinimas skirtas banknotø apsaugai nuo padirbinëjimo spalvoto kopijavimo bûdu. Spalvoto kopijavimo aparatais padirbtø pinigø daugëjo, todël VIII tarptautinëje Interpolo konferencijoje, ávykusioje 1992 m. balandþio 27 d.–geguþës 1 d. Otavoje, centriniams bankams rekomenduota banknotø dizaine numatyti aukðtos kokybës optiðkai kintanèiø ir papildomø apsaugos priemoniø, kad bûtø sunkiau padirbti pinigus bei lengviau atpaþinti klastotes. X tarptautinëje Interpolo konferencijoje padirbtø pinigø klausimais, ávykusioje 2002 m. balandþio 8–12 d. Amsterdame, atkreiptas centriniø bankø dëmesys á apsaugos priemoniø naudojimà ne tik banknotø averse, bet ir kitoje pusëje – reverse. Kartais spausdinimo „filosofijos“ skirtumus gali pastebëti tik patyræ ekspertai, o visuomenei jie taip ir lieka neþinomi. Plaèiajai visuomenei skirtos tokios apsaugos priemonës, kaip vandenþenklis, apsauginis siûlelis, giliaspaude atspausdinti portretai ir kitos, be jo-

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Lietuviðkoji pinigø kûrimo mokykla

ternational Counterfeit Currency Conference, held in Lyons from 22 to 26 June, 1987, recommended that central banks should incorporate specifically adapted security features in the design of banknotes to make them difficult to copy and the counterfeits easy to detect. Specific fine-line structures are used to achieve this aim. They are printed in multi-colour offset by using the rainbow effect and specific structures of tiny lines, the crossings of which form spatial design elements. Such printing of very thin lines with interlaced colour shift is designed for the protection of banknotes against counterfeiting by colour copiers. The amount of counterfeits produced by using colour copiers, however, was increasing, and the 8th Interpol International Conference on Currency Counterfeiting, meeting in Ottawa from 27 April to 1 May, 1992, recommended that future designs of banknotes should incorporate high-quality optically variable features and complementary security features, in order to make counterfeits more difficult to produce and easier to recognize. The 10th Interpol International Counterfeit Currency Conference, held in Amsterdam on 8–12 April, 2002, drew the attention of central banks to incorporating security features not only on the front, but also on the back of banknotes. Sometimes only the experts can detect the differences in the “philosophy” of banknote printing, and they remain unknown to the general public. Security features meant for the general public, such as the watermark, the security thread, and intaglio printed portraits and others, are easily recognizable with the naked eye without the aid of any special equipment in any circumstances. In their daily life people usually identify banknotes without paying much attention to their design and security features, therefore they should be very distinctive and functional. It is very important that design elements and security features of the banknotes of all

Mikrotekstas tiesiogiai susijæs su banknoto nominalu ir centrinio banko pavadinimu

kios specialios árangos, plika akimi ir visose gyvenimiðkose situacijose lengvai atpaþástamos apsaugos priemonës. Kasdieniame gyvenime þmonës banknotus atpaþásta per daug nesigilindami á jø dizainà ir apsaugos priemones, todël jos privalo bûti labai aiðkios ir funkcionalios. Labai svarbu visø nominalø banknotuose dizaino elementus ir apsaugos priemones komponuoti kiek galima pastovesnëse ar net tose paèiose banknoto vietose. Centriniø bankø darbo patirtis ir visuomeniniai tyrimai parodë, kad kiekvienas þmogus ásidëmi tik keletà banknotø apsaugos priemoniø. Todël dizaino elementai ir apsaugos priemonës turi bûti tiesiogiai susijæ su banknoto nominalu, centrinio banko pavadinimu, portretu ar kitu pagrindiniu vaizduojamu objektu. Grafiniam banknoto pieðiniui dar toli iki banknoto, kaip mokëjimo ir atsiskaitymo priemonës. Dar daugybë apsaugos priemoniø áterpiama ávairiuose spausdinimo etapuose. Ðiame daug specifiniø ekspertø þiniø ir meniniø sugebëjimø reikalaujanèiame darbe á vienà komandà suburiami dailininkai, spaustuvës bei centrinio banko specialistai. Jø tikslas – paversti paprastà popieriaus lapelá saugiu, patogiu naudoti banknotu. Kiekviena valstybë, nors ir laikydamasi bendrø tarptautiniu mastu nusistovëjusiø banknotø dizaino formavimo principø, siekia sukurti ir atspausdinti nacionalinæ valiutà, kuri rodytø jos tapatumà bendroje pasaulio valiutø ðeimoje. Taip atsiranda, formuojasi ir vystosi nacionalinës pinigø kûrimo mokyklos, kuriø misija – banknotà paversti ne tik mokëjimo ir atsiskaitymo priemone, bet ir savotiðku meno kûriniu. Ðioje knygoje pateikiama banknotø evoliucija. Reikëtø iðskirti 1997 metus – nuo tada Lietuvos bankas reguliariai atnaujina litø banknotus naujomis, moderniomis ir veiksmingomis apsaugos priemonëmis. Atnaujinant apsaugos priemonëmis jau esamà apyvartoje banknotà, bûtina ávertinti regimàjà þmogaus atmintá. Apsaugos prie Ðiuolaikiniø banknotø dizaine ypaè daug dëmesio skiriama priemo-

denominations should be positioned in similar or even fixed places of a note. The experience of central banks and public opinion surveys have revealed that every person memorizes only very few of the security features incorporated in a banknote. Consequently, design elements and security features should be directly related to the denomination numeral of the banknote, name of a central bank, portrait or some other central featured object. The graphic design of a banknote has to go a long way to become legal tender. A great number of security features are incorporated into it in various stages of printing. A team of artists, central bank and banknote printing experts work together to perform the task which requires specific skills and abilities. Every country, while following conventional banknote design principles established worldwide, strives to create and to print a national currency that would have its own identity in the international family of currencies. In this way national currency design schools emerge, establish themselves and develop to perform their mission – make a banknote not only a means of payment and settlement, but also an original piece of art. The book presents the evolution of banknotes. The year 1997 should be singled out as the turning point in the history of printing national currency, after which the Bank of Lithuania has been regularly upgrading litas banknotes with new, modern and effective security features. Security features should be harmonized with the design of the existing note. In the design of modern banknotes much attention is given to the features which would help the blind and short-sighted people to not only tell a genuine note from a counterfeit, but also to easily identify each denomination. The public has already acquired the necessary specific skills. Nowadays two-dimensional security features can be easily reproduced with modern equipment. The Bank of Lithuania, similar to most other central banks,

The Lithuanian School of Currency Design

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A micro-text is directly related to the denomination of a banknote and the name of a central bank

Mikroperforacija – naujos kartos apsaugos priemonë

Microperforation is a security feature of the new generation

nëms, kurios padëtø akliesiems ir silpnaregiams ne tik atskirti tikrà banknotà nuo klastotës, bet ir lengvai atpaþinti kiekvieno nominalo banknotà. Visuomenë jau iðsiugdë tam tikrus specifinius ágûdþius. Dviejø dimensijø apsaugos priemonës jau lengvai kopijuojamos ðiuolaikine áranga. Lietuvos bankas, kaip ir daugelis uþsienio centriniø bankø, daugiausia dëmesio skiria trijø dimensijø bei optiðkai keièianèioms spalvà apsaugos priemonëms. Tai nauja karta apsaugos priemoniø, kurios gali bûti naudojamos tiek banknotø popieriaus gamybos procese, tiek ir kiekviename spausdinimo etape. Vadovaujantis pinigø gamybos ekspertø rekomendacijomis, pastaruoju metu vis daugiau banknoto ploto skiriama bûtent ðioms priemonëms. Naujos kartos apsaugos priemonës banknotà daro ne tik saugesná, banknoto dailininkui jos atveria naujas menines galimybes, o pinigui suteikia estetinæ vertæ. Apsaugos priemonës pagal jø paskirtá ir nustatymo galimybes skirstomos á keturis lygius: - plaèiajai visuomenei – apsaugos priemonës, kurias galima pastebëti plika akimi ar pajusti pirðtais be jokiø papildomø prietaisø; - komerciniams bankams ir prekybos objektams – apsaugos priemonës, kurioms nustatyti reikalingos nesudëtingos priemonës (lupa, ultravioletiniø spinduliø lempa ir pan.); - automatizuotoms banknotø iðdavimo, priëmimo ir keitimo sistemoms – specialios, tik maðinomis atpaþástamos apsaugos priemonës, nustatomos specialiais detektoriais; - centriniams bankams ir automatizuotoms banknotø apdorojimo sistemoms – apsaugos priemonës, sauganèios nacionalinæ valiutà nuo masinio pramoninio padirbinëjimo ir þinomos tik nedaugeliui centrinio banko darbuotojø. Ðio lygio apsaugos priemonës yra valstybës paslaptis, jas ámanoma nustatyti tik specialia ekspertø áranga. Gerà centrinio banko reputacijà gali sugadinti nacionaliniø banknotø dizainui netinkamai parinktas apsaugos priemoniø deri-

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Lietuviðkoji pinigø kûrimo mokykla

pays the greatest attention to three-dimensional and optically variable security features. They represent security features of a new generation that may be used both in the banknote paper manufacturing process and in each stage of the printing process. Following the recommendations of currency production experts these features now occupy a much bigger area on the note. The new-generation security features make a banknote not only more secure, but also provide the designer with possibilities for using new artistic effects, thus increasing the aesthetic value of the currency. According to their purpose and identification possibilities security features are categorized into four levels, meant for: - the general public: security features which can be identified by the naked eye or felt by finger tips without any additional equipment; - commercial banks and points of sale: security features, the identification of which requires simple tools (magnifying glass, UV lamp, etc.); - automated cash dispensing, accepting and changing systems: specific security features, which can be recognized only by special detectors; - central banks and automated cash processing systems: security features protecting the national currency from industrial mass counterfeiting and which are known only to a limited number of bank employees. Security features of this level are regarded as state secret. They can be identified only through the use of special professional equipment. An unsuitable combination of security features selected for the design of national banknotes can ruin the reputation of a central bank. Security features may add a distinctive character to a whole series of banknotes. People usually remember two or three security

Holograminë juostelë – ðiuolaikinë trijø dimensijø apsaugos priemonë

nys. Apsaugos priemonës padeda suteikti visai banknotø serijai savità charakterá. Paprastai þmogus ásimena dvi tris apsaugos priemones, taèiau kiekvienas vis kitas. Apsaugos priemoniø ávairovë skirta ávairioms visuomenës grupëms, todël kiekvienas þmogus turi galimybæ atskirti tikrà pinigà nuo klastotës. Taigi banknoto apsaugos lygá lemia ne tik jame naudojamø apsaugos priemoniø kiekis, bet ir parinktø apsaugos priemoniø derinys. Popieriniai pinigai kasdienëje apyvartoje labai greitai susidëvi. Kas gali pasitikëti nacionaline valiuta, jei dël susidëvëjimo ar neðvarumø negalima atpaþinti jos apsaugos priemoniø? Kuriant banknotà, tenka atsiþvelgti ir á tai, jog kasdienëje apyvartoje daugelis apsaugos priemoniø nuo susidëvëjimo praranda savo funkcionalumà. Todël banknote naudojamà apsaugos priemoniø deriná bûtina papildyti priemonëmis, kuriø pagrindas yra metalas, o patá banknotà padengti specialia polimerine danga.

features, but they often vary from person to person. A variety of security features are designed for various groups of the society and every person has an opportunity to tell genuine money from a counterfeit. Thus, the security level of a banknote is predetermined not only by the number of security features included, but also by the combination of the selected security features. Paper money becomes worn-out very rapidly in daily circulation. Who would trust a national currency, the security features of which cannot be identified because the notes are worn-out and soiled? In the process of designing a banknote attention should be paid to the fact that many security features lose their function because they become worn-out in circulation. This is why the combination of security features used in a banknote should be supplemented by metalbased features, and a banknote itself should be covered with a special polymer coating.

Holographic strip is a modern three-dimensional security feature

The Lithuanian School of Currency Design

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KOKIO NOMINALO LIETUVOS BANKNOTAS JUMS LABIAUSIAI PATINKA? WHICH DENOMINATION OF THE LITHUANIAN BANKNOTES DO YOU LIKE MOST? (procentais/per cent) Analizuodamas, kaip LietuIn order to analyse the opinvos visuomenë vertina nacionaion of the Lithuanian people linës valiutos apsaugà, Lietuvos about the security of the nabankas ðiuo klausimu reguliariai tional currency the Bank of uþsako visuomenës nuomonës Lithuania regularly contracts tyrimus. Apþvelgsime apklaupublic opinion polls. The results sos, kurià atliko Lietuvos ir Diof the public opinion poll condþiosios Britanijos rinkos ir viducted by the Lithuanian-Britsuomenës nuomonës tyrimø ish market research and public kompanija „Baltijos tyrimai/ opinion company Baltijos The Gallup Organisation“, retyrimai/The Gallup Organizazultatus. tion are reviewed below. Tyrimø metu Lietuvos gyDuring the survey the people ventojø buvo praðoma pasakyof Lithuania were asked to exti, kokio nominalo Lietuvos press their opinion which denobanknotai jiems labiausiai pamination Lithuanian banknotes tinka ir kokio nominalo labiauthey liked and disliked most. The siai nepatinka. Labiausiai þmomost popular among the responnëms patinka didþiausiø nomidents were the banknotes of the KOKIO NOMINALO LIETUVOS BANKNOTAS JUMS LABIAUSIAI NEPATINKA? WHICH DENOMINATION OF THE LITHUANIAN BANKNOTES DO YOU DISLIKE MOST? (procentais/per cent) highest denominations. In 2000 nalø banknotai – 2000 m. tai it was the 200 litas note (48%) buvo 200 litø banknotas (48%), and in 2002 the most favoured o 2002 m. þmoniø simpatijos were 500 and 200 litas notes: the pasidalijo tarp 500 ir 200 litø first one was most liked by one banknotø: pirmasis labiausiai fifth of the interviewed people, patinka penktadaliui apklaustøand the latter – by slightly less jø, o antrasis – ðiek tiek maþiau than one fifth of the respondents. negu penktadaliui. Iðleidus nauWhen 10 litas and 20 litas notes jus 2001 m. laidos 10 ir 20 litø of the new 2001 issue were nominalø banknotus, atsirado launched into circulation, the daugiau þmoniø, kuriems jie panumber of people who viewed tinka. these banknotes favourably in2000 m. pabaigoje Lietuvos creased. gyventojams labiausiai nepatiko In late 2000, the banknotes maþiausio nominalo banknotai of low denominations (1 litas (ypaè 1 Lt), o juos pakeitus monote in particular) were most disnetomis, þmonës daug maþiau liked by the people of Lithuania. turi priekaiðtø dabar apyvartoNow, after these notes have been je esantiems banknotams. replaced by coins, people ex2002 m. ketvirtadalis apklauspressed much less disapproval of tøjø (27%) atsakë, kad jie ne-

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Lietuviðkoji pinigø kûrimo mokykla

Banknotø bandiniø tvirtinimas spaustuvëje

turi jokiø priekaiðtø në vienam ið dabartiniø naujø banknotø, o dar treèdalis (32%) neturëjo nuomonës ðiuo klausimu. Jeigu paanalizuotume banknotus pagal teigiamø ir neigiamø vertinimø santyká, geriausiai Lietuvos gyventojai vertina 200 litø banknotà, o blogiausiai – 50 litø banknotà. Daþniausi priekaiðtai ðiam banknotui – negraþus dizainas, neryðkios ir iðblukusios spalvos, neádomus, jau atsibodæs, reikëtø naujo ðio nominalo banknoto, atrodo kaip netikras, per daug „liûdnas“ pinigas ir pan. 200 litø banknotas teigiamai vertinamas uþ graþø dizainà ir spalvà. Tyrimø metu respondentø taip pat buvo praðoma pasakyti, kaip jie vertina Lietuvos banknotø apsaugos priemones. 2002 m. tarp apklaustø 15–74 metø Lietuvos gyventojø buvo daugiau mananèiøjø, kad banknotai yra gerai apsaugoti (43%), negu tø, kurie nepasitiki apsaugos priemonëmis (40%). 2000 m. buvo daugiau mananèiøjø, kad Lietuvos banknotai yra blogai apsaugoti (52%), negu tø, kurie pasitiki apsaugos priemonëmis (45%). Kad Lietuvos banknotai yra gerai apsaugoti, mano ðiek tiek daugiau vyrø negu moterø, taip pat jaunesni negu 50 metø þmonës, miestø gyventojai, turintieji aukðtàjá iðsilavinimà bei tie, kuriø ðeimos pajamos paèios didþiausios. Dar galima pastebëti, kad apsaugos priemonëmis labiausiai pasitiki vadovai, specialistai, tarnautojai, moksleiviai ir studentai, o labiausiai nepasitiki darbininkai ir bedarbiai.

the banknotes in circulation. One fourth of the respondents (27%) answered that they had no criticism of any new currently circulating banknotes, and one third of the polled people (32%) had no opinion on the subject. The analysis of the rate of positive and negative assessments shows that the 200 litas banknote is rated most highly, and the 50 litas note has the lowest rating. The most frequent critical comments on this banknote are as follows: unappealing design, dull and faded colours, uninteresting, boring, a new banknote of this denomination would be desirable, does not look like a genuine note, too “gloomy”, etc. Respondents were also asked to tell how they judged the security features of Lithuanian banknotes. In 2002, there were more people (aged 15 to 74) who considered that banknotes were well protected (43%) than those who did not trust security features (40%). In 2000, the people who had the opinion that Lithuanian notes were poorly protected were more numerous (52%) than those who trusted the security features (45%). Slightly more men than women, people under fifty, town dwellers, people with higher education and families with the highest income considered Lithuanian banknotes to be well protected. It could also be noted that managers, experts, public officers, schoolchildren and students had more trust in security features than workers and the unemployed.

The Lithuanian School of Currency Design

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Approval of banknote proofs at the printing company

KAIP JÛS MANOTE, AR LIETUVOS BANKNOTAI YRA GERAI APSAUGOTI NUO PADIRBINËJIMO? DO YOU THINK LITHUANIAN BANKNOTES ARE WELL PROTECTED AGAINST COUNTERFEITING? (procentais/per cent) Respondentø buvo praðoma iðvardyti visas Lietuvos banknotø apsaugos priemones, kurias jie þino. Geriausiai Lietuvos þmonëms yra þinomi vandenþenkliai – juos paminëjo du ið trijø apklaustøjø. Kitos dvi geriau þinomos apsaugos priemonës – tai metalizuota juostelë (paminëjo kas antras) ir apsauginiai siûleliai (paminëjo vienas ið septyniø). Tarp pastebimø pokyèiø galima atkreipti dëmesá á tai, kad kiekvienais metais atliekamø tyrimø metu paminima vis daugiau banknotø apsaugos priemoniø. Pasitikëjimui ar nepasitikëTyrimai atlikti 2002 m. jimui Lietuvos banknotais, be Surveys conducted in 2002. abejonës, turi átakos ir bendras poþiûris á Lietuvos visuomenës institucijas – pasitikima jomis ar ne. Ar ilgai dar apyvartoje bus grynieji pinigai? Prognozuojama, jog ateityje elektroninës mokëjimo priemonës turëtø pakeisti banknotus ir monetas daugelyje mûsø gyvenimo srièiø. Kodël daugelyje, o ne visose? Psichologai teigia, jog Tyrimai atlikti 2002 m. Surveys conducted in 2002. þmonëms labiau patinka grynieji pinigai, o ne áraðas sàskaitoje. Perskaièiuodamas pinigus, þmogus patiria malonumà. Su kredito ar debeto kortele jis yra labiau linkæs nepagrástai iðlaidauti. Kortelës neiðsprendþia akløjø ir silpnaregiø problemø. O kur dar ðeðëlinë ekonomika? Pagal nacionalinës valiutos kokybæ galima spræsti ir apie tvarkà valstybëje apskritai. Bet kurios valstybës sveèias pirmiausia susiduria su pinigais. Tai – valstybës savigarba, tarsi veidrodis, kuris visada privalo bûti ðvarus ir skaidrus. Deðimtmetis, þinoma, yra palyginti trumpas tarpsnis mûsø lito istorijoje, taèiau labai reikðmingas Lietuvai. Ðiandien mokyklose ir ikimokyklinëse ástaigose vaikai kuria raðinius apie nacionalinius pinigus, aktyviai dalyvauja pieðiniø konkursuose vaizduodami, kaip

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Lietuviðkoji pinigø kûrimo mokykla

Respondents were requested to list all the security features of banknotes they were aware of. The watermark was mentioned by two of three respondents as a security feature best known to the people of Lithuania. The other two better-known features were the metallic strip (mentioned by every second respondent) and security threads (pointed out by every seventh respondent). Certain changes in the attitude of the public towards money should be noted in that every year more and more security features were mentioned by the polled people. It is expected that banknotes and coins will be replaced by electronic payment instruments in many areas of life in the future. Why many, and not all, one may wonder. Psychologists maintain that people prefer cash to a record in a bank account. They feel satisfaction when counting money. A credit or debit card tends to induce unreasonable spending. Cards cannot solve the problems of blind and short-sighted people. And there is also the shadow economy. The quality of the national currency allows making judgements about the general order in a country. Currency is an object of self-esteem of a country; it is like a mirror which should always be clean and clear. Ten years is certainly a short period in the history of the litas, but it has been a very significant one for Lithuania. Nowadays, children at schools and nursery schools write compositions about the national currency, and participate in drawing competitions, presenting their designs of the future money; art students chose their diploma subjects related to the analysis of banknote design and visions of the future money. Banknotes are not just a means of payment. For centuries the na-

litas atrodys ateityje, dailës studentai renkasi diplominiø darbø temas, susijusias su banknotø dizaino analize bei jø ateities vizija. Banknotai – tai ne tik mokëjimo priemonë. Visais amþiais nacionaliniai pinigai buvo ir yra neatsiejama tautos kultûros dalis. Vykstant audringiems istorijos pokyèiams, kiekviena valstybë siekia átvirtinti savo nacionaliná tapatumà. Nacionaliniai pinigai ilgam iðlieka visuomenës atmintyje, taip sergëdami jos tautiðkumo ðaknis. Banknotai – lyg kalba, kuria susikalba ne tik individai, visuomenës grupës, tautos, bet ir þmonijos kartos, net civilizacijos. Antrà kartà XX a. lietuviø tauta atkûrë savo valstybæ pasaulio þemëlapyje, o 1993 m. nacionalinis pinigas litas gráþo á pasaulio valiutø ðeimà. Atgimë lietuviðkoji pinigø kûrimo mokykla.

tional currency has been an inseparable part of national culture. Every nation has sought to strengthen its identity in the turbulent course of history. National money stays in the memory of the people for a long time, protecting the national roots of a state. Banknotes may be compared to language, understandable not only to individuals, social groups or nations, but also to generations of mankind and even civilizations. The Lithuanian nation re-established its state on the map of the world for a second time during the 20th century, and in 1993 its national currency, the litas, returned to the family of currencies of the world. The Lithuanian school of currency design has been revived.

Banknotai – lyg kalba, kuria susikalba tautos. Fotogr. E. Strioga

Banknotes are like the language understandable to all nations. Photo by E. Strioga

The Lithuanian School of Currency Design

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Banknotai ir jø komponavimo specifika Banknotes and Peculiarities of Their Composition

Ið pirmo þvilgsnio banknotas – tik keturkampis, ámantriai ornamentuotas popieriaus lapelis su portretu, peizaþu ir tekstu. Taèiau ðis lapelis turi didelæ galià – uþ já galima pirkti reikalingus daiktus, atsilyginti uþ paslaugas, be rûpesèiø keliauti per pasaulá, iðkeièiant vienoje ðalyje iðleistus popierëlius á kitos ðalies popierëlius. Þodis „banknotas“ suprantamas beveik visame Þemës rutulyje. Europoje banknotai, kaip visuotinai pripaþinta mokëjimo priemonë, þinomi nuo XVII a., o metaliniø pinigø istorija skaièiuojama tûkstanèiais metø. Metaliniai pinigai buvo labai sunkûs, juos tekdavo gabenti net veþimais, ir pirkliams, keliaujantiems ið miesto á miestà, bûdavo nepatogu. Ieðkant iðeities ir buvo sugalvota raðteliø sistema. Pirmi banknotai buvo ranka raðyti raðteliai – ásipareigojimai raðtelio savininkui nurodytà sumà iðmokëti metaliniais pinigais. Dar ir dabar kai kuriø ðaliø banknotuose spausdinami tokie tekstai. Pavyzdþiui, ðiuolaikiniame Indijos banknote galima perskaityti: „Að pasiþadu ðio raðtelio savininkui sumokëti 10 rupijø“. Anksèiausiai ðià problemà ëmësi spræsti kinai. Jie dar X a. pabaigoje sunkius metalinius pinigus palikdavo parduotuvëse ir gaudavo ðeimininko pasiraðytà raðtelá apie deponuotà sumà. Tai tapus tradicija ir atsiradus gausybei tokio pobûdþio raðteliø, pradëta juos padirbinëti. Ieðkant bûdø apsisaugoti nuo apgavikø, raðteliams buvo pradëta gaminti specialø popieriø, pirkliai sugalvodavo individualias apsaugos priemones, skolos raðtelius paþymëdavo tik jiems vieniems þinomais slaptais þenklais, medinëmis kliðëmis spausdindavo specialius blankus, gamindavo spaudus, taèiau tai nedaug padëdavo. Teismai buvo uþversti padirbinëtojø bylomis ir pagaliau buvo imtasi priemoniø valstybës mastu. Pirmieji valstybiniai skolos raðteliai – banknotø pirmtakai – iðleisti 1024 m. Kinijoje, valdant Sungø dinastijai. Jie buvo atspausdinti varinëmis kliðëmis. Anksèiau pirkliø naudotos medinës kliðës neatlaikydavo didesnio atspaudø skaièiaus, o raiþyti daug vienodø formø

At first glance a banknote seems to be just a quadrangular, fancifully ornamented piece of paper bearing a portrait, a landscape and some text. Nevertheless this piece of paper has great power – it allows you to purchase necessary things, pay for services, travel around the world exchanging the pieces of paper issued in one country for the ones issued in other countries. The word “banknote” is familiar to people all over the world. Banknotes, as universally acknowledged means of payment, have been known in Europe since the 17th century, and the history of metal money goes back thousands of years. Metal money was very heavy so that a bigger amount would have to be carried by carts, making it burdensome to merchants to travel from town to town. In search for a way out, a system of notes was invented. The first banknotes were handwritten notes promising to pay to the holder of the note the indicated amount of money in metal currency. Chinese were the first to tackle this problem. As early as in the late th 10 century they used to leave their metal money in shops and received instead a note indicating the deposited amount signed by the shop owner. When this became a tradition and many notes of this type appeared, the counterfeiting of such notes began. In search for ways to protect them against counterfeiters a special kind of paper for these deposit bills was manufactured, and merchants used to invent their own security features: they marked deposit bills with individual secret signs that were known only to them, printed special blanks with wooden plates and made stamps. But these measures were not effective enough. Courts were overloaded with cases against counterfeiters and, finally, measures had to be taken on the national level. The first national promissory notes, predecessors of banknotes, were issued in China under the reign of the Song dynasty in 1024. They were printed with copper plates on paper made of the bark of the mulberry tree. It was thick and coarse, but it was resistant to fold-

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Prancûzijos nacionalinës asamblëjos asignatas. 1792 m. Prancûzijos nacionalinës asamblëjos asignatas. 1794 m.

Currency bill of the French National Assembly dated 1792 Currency bill of the French National Assembly dated 1794

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Banknotai ir jø komponavimo specifika

Varðuvos kunigaikðtystës kasos bilietas. 1810 m.

buvo neparanku, be to, padidëdavo ir padirbinëjimo galimybës – tarp nevisiðkai vienodø atspaudø lengviau paslëpti neteisëtu bûdu pagamintus raðtelius. Pirmieji banknotai buvo spausdinami popieriuje, pagamintame ið ðilkmedþio þievës. Jis buvo storas ir ðiurkðtus, taèiau atsparus lankstymui ir glamþymui. Kiniðki pinigai buvo þymimi vyriausybës ir vietos, kur banknotas buvo keièiamas á monetas, antspaudu. Maþdaug tuo laiku buvo iðrastas ir spausdinimo surenkamomis raidëmis bûdas – á paliktà tuðèià vietà pagamintame atspaude vëliau kita kliðe bûdavo áspaudþiamas numeris. Labai panaðø kelià iki banknoto nuëjo ir europieèiai, tik jie vëlavo kelis ðimtmeèius. Ðvedijos karalius Gustavas Adolfas, mëgindamas papildyti Trisdeðimties metø karo (1618–1648 m.) nualintà valstybës biudþetà, ásteigë Karaliðkàjá bankà ir ágaliojo já iðdavinëti depozitinius raðtus uþ banke paliktus metalinius pinigus. Raðtai turëjo tokià pat vertæ, kaip ir banke palikti pinigai. Ðiek tiek vëliau ir kitose ðalyse pradëti leisti valstybiniai banknotai su nurodyta konkreèia suma. Ant specialaus popieriaus su vandenþenkliais puoðniu kaligrafiniu ðriftu, imituojanèiu ranka raðytas raides, buvo atspausdinamas tekstas, nominalo skaièius ir banko pavadinimas. Toks banknotas su ranka áraðytu numeriu, kaip dokumentas, buvo áregistruojamas banko knygose. Já pasiraðydavo pats banko kasininkas. Panaðûs banknotai buvo leidþiami 1794 m. Lenkijos ir Lietuvos valstybëje Tado Kosciuðkos sukilimo metu. Popieriniø pinigø kelias á visuomenæ nebuvo lengvas. Þmonës, pripratæ prie sunkiø, patikimø, daþnai ið tauriøjø metalø nukaldintø monetø, negreitai pradëjo pasitikëti ið paþiûros nepatvariu popierëliu. Dar turëjo praeiti apie porà ðimtø metø, kol banknotai buvo visuotinai priimti. Kai kuriø Europos ðaliø bankai popierinius pinigus iðleido tik XIX a. pabaigoje. Banknotas eina ið rankø á rankas, pabuvoja piniginëse, parduotuviø stalèiuose, automatinëse skaièiavimo maðinose, bankø saugyklose. Jis pakliûva á ávairias situacijas: imamas neðvariais pirðtais, glamþo-

ing and crumpling. Chinese paper money was stamped with the seal of the government and a stamp indicating the place where the note could be exchanged into coins. Approximately at the same time a letterpress printing technique was invented – a movable type with a note number to be later inserted into an empty space on the print using a separate plate. The Europeans followed a similar way, albeit several hundred years later. The king of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus, in effort to replenish the national budget after the Thirty Years War (1618–1648), established the Royal Bank and empowered it to issue notes of deposit against metal money deposited in the bank. The notes had the same value as the money deposited in the bank. Some time later other countries followed, issuing state banknotes with the precise amount indicated on them. The text, denomination numeral and name of a bank were printed in elaborate calligraphic type imitating handwritten characters on special paper with a watermark. Such a banknote with a handwritten number was registered as a document in the books of the bank. It was signed by the cashier of the bank himself. Notes of similar type were issued in the State of Poland and Lithuania in 1794 during the uprising led by Tadeusz Koúciuszko. Paper money was not readily accepted by the public. People were accustomed to heavy and reliable coins, often made of precious metals, and it took some time for a piece of paper, which did not seem to be durable, to win their trust. Several hundred years were to pass until banknotes became generally accepted by the public. In some European countries paper money was issued as late as at the end of the 19th century. A banknote passes from hands to hands, it is held in wallets, in the drawers of the cash desks in shops, automated sorting machines and bank vaults. It turns up in various situations: a banknote is touched by dirty fingers, crumpled in pockets with other articles and is sometimes even washed together with dirty laundry. It is for these reasons

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Treasury note of the Duchy of Warsaw dated 1810

Rusijos banknotas. 1819 m. Rusijos banknotas. 1865 m.

Russian banknote dated 1819 Russian banknote dated 1865

mas kiðenëse drauge su kitais daiktais, kartais net iðskalbiamas su drabuþiais, todël jo popierius, spaudos daþai, apsaugos priemonës turi bûti ypaè patvarûs. XX a. pradþioje amerikieèiai banknotø amþiui prailginti buvo iðradæ net specialià banknotø skalbimo maðinà. Jie iðsiaiðkino, kad net 30 procentø á bankà gràþinamø banknotø yra ne susidëvëjæ, bet paprasèiausiai neðvarûs. Buvo sukonstruota áranga, kuri, aptarnaujama dviejø þmoniø, per valandà iðskalbdavo, iðdþiovindavo ir iðlygindavo 5 000 banknotø. Taèiau vëliau, Pirmojo pasaulinio karo metais trûkstant linø ir popieriø pradëjus gaminti tik ið medvilnës, skalbimo teko atsisakyti. Gaminant banknotà, nepaprastai svarbià vietà uþima popierius – jam keliami ypaè dideli reikalavimai. Popierius turi bûti nestoras, standus, atsparus mechaniniams poveikiams, tinkamas ávairiø rûðiø poligrafiniams daþams ir modernioms apsaugos priemonëms. Ðiurkðtaus pavirðiaus, savitai ðiugþdantá banknotø popieriø þmonës, kasdien dirbantys su pinigais, lengvai atskiria nuo padirbto. Kiekvienam banknotui gaminamas specialus tik tai laidai skirtas popierius. Pagamintame popieriuje yra nemaþai apsaugos priemoniø, taèiau viena ið seniausiø ir iki ðiol svarbiausiø yra vandenþenklis. Tai yra tam tikras vaizdas – emblema, ornamentas, tekstas ar portretas. Jis sudarytas ið storesnio ir plonesnio popieriaus sluoksniø ir aiðkiai matomas þiûrint prieð ðviesà. Vakarø Europoje vandenþenklis þinomas nuo XIII a. – popieriaus manufaktûros juo þymëdavo savo gaminius, be to, jis seniai naudojamas kaip vertybiniø popieriø apsaugos priemonë. Ðiuolaikiniø pinigø vandenþenklis – daþniausiai sudëtingas portretas su daug detaliø ir toniniø perëjimø, poligrafiniu bûdu atspausdinto portreto ar kito svarbaus dizaino elemento pakartojimas. Kita popieriaus apsaugos priemonë – á gaminamo popieriaus masæ ámaiðoma spalvotø, matomø plika akimi, arba baltø, susiliejanèiø su popieriaus mase, plauðeliø, fluorescuojanèiø banknotà apðvietus ultravioletine ðviesa.

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Banknotai ir jø komponavimo specifika

that the paper, printing inks and security features of a note should be particularly durable. Paper plays a very important role in the production of banknotes and has to meet specific requirements. It must not be thick but stiff, resistant to mechanical effects, suitable for using various types of printing inks and incorporating modern security features. People who handle money daily are capable of distinguishing banknote paper from any other type of paper because of its coarse surface and specific crackling. Each banknote is printed on the paper produced for that particular issue. Manufactured banknote paper has a number of security features, among which the watermark is one of the oldest and has remained the most important security feature until now. The watermark is a certain image – an emblem, ornament, text or portrait. It is formed from thicker and thinner layers of paper and is clearly seen when viewed against the light. In Western Europe the watermark has been known since as early as the 13th century when paper manufacturers marked their paper with watermarks. For many years the watermark has been used as a protection feature for securities. A modern watermark is usually a complex portrait, containing many details and tonal shadows, which is a copy of the portrait or another design element printed on the front of the note. Another paper security feature consists of coloured fibres, which are visible to the naked eye, or white fibres that merge with the paper and are visible under ultraviolet light, both introduced into the paper in the production process. The security thread is one more paper security feature. It was patented in 1935 in England, and was used for extremely important papers and documents. It took long years of research to find a technique for embedding a thread into a banknote without harming the stiffness of a note and affecting the speed of paper production. In 1940,

Niujorko miesto banko banknotas. 1863 m. Japonijos privataus pirklio banknotas. 1858 m.

Apsauginis siûlelis – dar viena popieriaus apsaugos priemonë. Uþpatentuotas 1935 m. Anglijoje, jis buvo naudojamas nepaprastai svarbiems popieriams ir dokumentams. Ilgai ieðkota bûdø, kaip áterpti ðá siûlelá, nepakenkiant banknoto standumui, nesulëtinant popieriaus gamybos tempo. Radus gamybininkus ir bankininkus tenkinantá sprendimà, 1940 m. iðleistas 1 svaro sterlingø banknotas su apsauginiu siûleliu. Paprastai apsauginis siûlelis visas áterpiamas á popieriø já gaminant, taèiau kartais jis matomas reguliaraus punktyro ritmu iðkilæs á pavirðiø. Daþnai apsauginiame siûlelyje yra mikrotekstas. Þiûrint á banknotà prieð ðviesà, siûlelis matomas kaip tamsi juostelë, vertikaliai kertanti banknotà. Ðiuolaikiniuose banknotuose apsauginis siûlelis gali bûti ávairiø ploèiø, fluorescuoti ultravioletinëje ðviesoje ar turëti holografiná efektà. Banknotà paprastai puoðia ornamentai, tekstai, istoriniø objektø pieðiniai. Visa tai atspausdinama dviem spaudos bûdais – ofsetu ir giliaspaude. Visi komponentai, vienas kità papildydami, sukuria specifiná banknoto vaizdà. Svarbià vietà uþima giljoðo struktûros (pranc. guilloche – raiþytuvas). Tai – sudëtingo pieðinio linijinis ornamentas, atspaustas popieriuje. Pirmuosius banknotus stengtasi puoðti ámantriais dailininko pieðtais ornamentais. Jø darbà labai palengvino 1810 m. austrø iðradëjo Jakobo Degeno (Jacob Degen) iðrasta giljoðo maðina, kuri pieðdavo nepaprastai taisyklingus, pagal specialià formulæ apskaièiuotus ornamentus. Banknoto erdvës uþpildomos juvelyriðku giljoðo mezginiu. Sudëtingø plonø linijëliø neámanoma nubrëþti ranka, jos pieðiamos specialiu, ðiais

after a solution meeting the requirements of both manufacturers and bankers was found, a £1 note with a security thread was issued. The security thread is usually embedded in the paper, though sometimes it is visible as a windowed line. Security threads often contain a microtext. When a banknote is held up against the light, the security thread is seen as a continuous dark line running vertically across the banknote. Security threads of modern banknotes may vary in width, fluoresce under UV light or produce a holographic effect. Banknotes are traditionally decorated with ornaments, texts and images of historical objects. Two printing methods, offset and intaglio, are used to print all these design elements. All design components taken together create a specific composite look of a banknote. A particular role is assigned to guilloche structures (Fr. guilloche graver). They are complex patterns of linear ornaments, cut with a special mechanical instrument on a metal surface and printed on paper. Early banknotes were decorated with exquisite ornaments hand-drawn by an artist. The work of the artists was made much easier with the advent of the guilloche machine invented by the Austrian inventor Jacob Degen in 1810. It allowed drawing incredibly precise line ornaments based on a special formula. The space on a banknote is filled with a perfectly drawn guilloche network. These complex fine lines are too complicated to be drawn by hand, and they are produced by using a special mechanism, which is now usually controlled by a computer. Even modern photocopiers fail to re-

Banknotes and Peculiarities of Their Composition

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Banknote of the New York City Bank dated 1863 Banknote of a Japanese private merchant dated 1858

V. Kudirkos portreto graviûra 500 litø banknote V. Kudirkos portretas – 500 litø banknoto vandenþenklis Vengrijos 1930 m. laidos banknoto giljoðas

Engraving of the portrait of V. Kudirka on the 500 litas banknote Portrait of V. Kudirka as the watermark for the 500 litas banknote Guilloche from a Hungarian banknote of 1930

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Banknotai ir jø komponavimo specifika

1924 m. V. Jomanto sukurto 500 litø banknoto giljoðas

Guilloche from the 500 litas banknote designed by V. Jomantas in 1924

Banknotes and Peculiarities of Their Composition

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Tarybinio 1991 m. laidos 100 rubliø banknoto ornamentas, suprojektuotas pagal Orloff metodà

Ornament on the Soviet 100 rouble note of 1991, designed by Orloff method

laikais daþniausiai kompiuteriu valdomu prietaisu. Tokiø linijiniø struktûrø nepakartoja net ðiuolaikinës kopijavimo priemonës, atgaminanèios vaizdà ið maþø taðkeliø. Giljoðo ornamentas sëkmingai naudojamas jau du ðimtmeèius. Net ir ðiais laikais, iðtobulëjus poligrafijos árangai, kompiuteriø technologijoms, giljoðo principu sukurtas ornamentas yra svarbi banknotø apsaugos priemonë. Giliaspaude atspausdinta portreto graviûra – ypaè svarbi ir senas tradicijas turinti apsaugos priemonë. Jau seniai pastebëta, kad tam labai tinka visuomenei gerai paþástamos asmenybës portretas. Banknoto portretà graviruoja pinigus gaminanèios firmos graveris. Darbas labai kruopðtus, reikalaujantis didelës kantrybës ir meistriðkumo – menkiausiu netiksliu rankos judesiu galima sugadinti daugelio mënesiø triûsà. Iðgraviruotoje metalo plokðtëje yra gilûs, aðtriais kraðtais grioveliai tose vietose, kur reikia atspausdinti tamsias linijas. Spaudos daþai áterpiami á tuos griovelius, o atspausdinus jie staigiai iðdþiûsta ir lieka apèiuopiami nelygumai. Nemaþiau svarbi banknotø gamybos proceso sudëtinë dalis yra specialûs daþai. Jie turi atitikti specifinius jiems keliamus reikalavimus. Ðiø daþø negalima lyginti su tais, kuriais spausdinami spalvoti þurnalai ar knygos. Banknotø daþais spausdinami nominalo skaièiai, tekstai, kai kurios apsaugos priemonës, ámantrûs, spalvingi ornamentai ir vaizdai – jie popieriaus lapelá paverèia pinigu. Nuo daþø kokybës ir patvarumo priklauso, ar po ilgalaikio kasdienio vartojimo ávairiomis sàlygomis banknotas iðliks atpaþástamas, o netinkamà apyvartai bent bus galima pakeisti nauju. Pinigø ekspertai ið daþø gamintojø reikalauja, kad spaudos daþai bûtø atsparûs ðviesai, drëgmei, riebalams, ávairiems chemikalams. Daþai bandomi specialiais testais, kurie prilygsta ekstremalioms sàlygoms. Atspausdinti banknotai plaunami vandenyje, buitiniuose chemikaluose, plëðomi, glamþomi, trinami su ðiurkðèiais pavirðiais – ir tik iðlaikæ spalvà, intensyvumà, nenubyrëjæ popieriaus lenkimo vietose, pripa-

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Banknotai ir jø komponavimo specifika

produce such linear structures: their image on the copy looks as if it consisted of tiny dots. Guilloche ornaments have been successfully used for two hundred years. Even in these days, when printing equipment and computer technologies have become highly sophisticated, guilloche-based ornaments remain an important security feature. The engraved portrait printed in intaglio is an old traditional and exceptionally significant security feature. It was noticed long ago that the portrait of a publicly well-known person is a perfect security feature. The portrait for a banknote is engraved by the engraver of the banknote printing company. This task is very accurate and requires great patience and skill: a single imprecise movement of the hand can ruin the result of several-months’ hard work. The engraved plate has deep, sharp-edged grooves cut in the places where dark lines should be printed. These grooves are filled with printing inks which dry very quickly after printing, forming ridges of ink on the surface that may be felt by touch. Special inks are of no less importance in the process of banknote production. They must satisfy specific requirements. These inks should not be identified with those used for printing colour magazines or books. Banknote printing inks are used to print denomination numerals, texts, some of security features, intricate coloured ornaments and images – they turn a piece of paper into money. It is the quality and stability of the inks that determine whether a note will remain recognizable after a long period of daily circulation, while unfit banknotes would be replaced by new ones. Banknote experts require from ink manufacturers that printing inks should be resistant to light, moisture, fat and various chemical agents. Inks undergo special tests under conditions close to extreme. Printed notes are washed in water and household chemicals, torn, crumpled and rubbed against rough surfaces, and only in case the

10 litø banknoto sutapimo þenklo projekto eskizai. Dail. G. Jonaitis 10 litø banknoto sutapimo þenklo bendras vaizdas, aversas ir reversas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

þástami vertais dëmesio. Be atsparumo mechaniniam ir cheminiam poveikiui, banknotø daþai turi daugybæ kitø specifiniø savybiø: jie liuminescuoja ultravioletinëje ðviesoje, keièia spalvà þiûrint á banknotà kitu kampu. Yra ir kitø daþø savybiø, þinomø tik pinigø ekspertams. Pinigai gaminami greitaeigëmis maðinomis, todël bûtina, kad daþai momentaliai dþiûtø, nesiteptø, kad jais bûtø galima tiksliai atspausdinti plonytes giljoðo linijas. Poligrafiniu bûdu spausdinama daugelis apsaugos priemoniø: portretas, abipusio sutapimo þenklas, paslëptos raidës ar simboliai, atpaþinimo þenklai akliesiems, mikrotekstai ir kt. Iki ðiol sëkmingai taikomas Orloff metodas, kai ávairiø spalvø daþai nuo keliø plokðèiø perkeliami ant vienos ir ja spausdinama popieriuje. Ðiuo metodu spausdinama monotoniðka giljoðo linijëliø struktûra dizainerio numatyta tvarka keièia spalvà ir sudaro spalvingà, nepaprastai tiksliai sutampantá ornamentà. Pastaraisiais metais pagamintuose lietuviðkuose banknotuose yra ir viena ið moderniausiø apsaugos priemoniø – mikroperforacija. Þiûrint prieð ðviesà, matomas nominalo skaièius ið skyluèiø, padarytø lazeriu. Didþioji apsaugos priemoniø dalis yra skirta eiliniams þmonëms. Kiekvienas vartotojas, paëmæs á rankas banknotà ir suabejojæs jo tikrumu, gali nesunkiai tai patikrinti. Reikia tik pakelti banknotà prieð ðviesà, kad pamatytume vandenþenklá, apsauginá siûlelá, abipusio sutapimo þenklà, paliesti, kad apèiuoptume giliaspaudës daþø reljefà, pavartyti kupiûrà, kad ásitikintume, ar ðvyti daugiaspalvës hologramos, ar yra paslëptos raidës ir simboliai. Yra ir sunkiau áþvelgiamø, taèiau per didinamàjá stiklà regimø apsaugos priemoniø, tai – mikrotekstai, giljoðo linijëliø pieðinio sudëtingumas ir kt. Aptartosios naujausiomis technologijomis pagrástos apsaugos priemonës nëra jokia paslaptis. Ðiais laikais kiekvienas pinigø emisijos teisæ turintis bankas kartu spausdina ir masiðkai platina specialius lanksti-

inks retain their colour and brightness, do not crumble off in the places of folding the paper are they judged to deserve attention. Apart from resistance to mechanical and chemical effects printing inks have a number of other specific qualities: they fluoresce under ultraviolet light and change colour when viewed from different angles. There are some other specifications that are known only to banknote experts. Banknotes are produced by high-speed presses, and it is therefore necessary that inks should dry instantly and should not smear, so that precise printing of fine guilloche lines was possible. The main printing processes are used for printing many security features: the portrait, see-through feature, latent characters or symbols, recognition signs for the blind, microtext and others. Up until now the Orloff printing method has been used to transfer inks of different colours from a number of plates onto one plate for further printing on the paper. Monotonous guilloche line structures printed in this way change colour in the order envisaged by the designer and form a colourful ornament of precisely aligned lines. The majority of the security features are aimed at the general public. Every person who has a banknote in his or her hands can easily check any doubt regarding the authenticity of the note. All one needs to do is hold up a note against the light and see the watermark, the security thread and a see-through feature; touch the surface to feel the relief of intaglio printing; tilt a note to check for iridescent multicolour holograms and latent characters and symbols. There are also security features which are more difficult to see, such as microtext, complex guilloche line patterns, etc., which can, however, be observed through a magnifying glass. The described security features based on the state-of-the-art technologies are not secret. Nowadays, every bank of issue prints and distributes special brochures providing comprehensive information to the people about the key security features and their location on a

Banknotes and Peculiarities of Their Composition

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Sketches of the design for the 10 litas note’s see-through feature. Designed by G. Jonaitis See-through feature of the 10 litas banknote (general view, front and back). Designed by G. Jonaitis

10 eurø banknotas ultravioletinëje ðviesoje

nukus, kuriuose populiariai aiðkinamos svarbiausios apsaugos priemonës, jø iðdëstymo vietos. Tiesa, tam tikra banknotuose esanèiø apsaugos priemoniø dalis neþinoma plaèiajai visuomenei. Esant reikalui, jos tikrinamos specialiose laboratorijose tobula ðiuolaikine áranga. Pinigø padirbinëjimas visais laikais buvo vienas ið didþiausiø valstybiniø nusikaltimø – anksèiau uþ tai buvo baudþiama net mirtimi. Pinigø padirbinëtojai buvo gàsdinami grasinanèiais uþraðais ant banknotø. Pvz., 1856 m. Vokietijoje iðleistame banknote dailininkas nupieðë aukðtà kalëjimo sienà su dantytais bokðtais ir grësmingu uþraðu apie klastotojo laukiantá atpildà. Daugelis vyresnës kartos Lietuvos þmoniø prisimena tokius pat tekstus tarybiniuose piniguose, o dar vyresni – ir tarpukario Lietuvos lituose.

10 euro banknote under ultraviolet light

32

Banknotai ir jø komponavimo specifika

banknote. However, there are certain banknote security features that are not disclosed to the general public. They are checked, if necessary, at specialised laboratories using modern equipment. Counterfeiting of currency has always been considered one of the greatest crimes against the state, sometimes even punishable by the death penalty. Counterfeiters were threatened with warnings on banknotes. In Germany, for example, a note issued in 1856 had a picture made by an artist showing a high jagged prison wall and a threatening warning about the punishment for counterfeiters. Many Lithuanian people of the older generation remember texts of this kind on the Soviet banknotes, and similar warnings on the inter-war litas notes would be familiar to even older people.

Spaustuvës Orell Füssli Security Printing Ltd reklaminio banknoto aversas ir reversas

Promotional banknote of the printing house Orell Füssli Security Printing Ltd, front and back

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33

Slovënijos 10 taleriø banknoto reversas Islandijos 10 kronø banknoto aversas Malaizijos 2 ringitø banknoto aversas

Slovenian 10 thaller banknote, back Icelandic 10 krona banknote, front Malaysian 2 ringgit banknote, front

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Banknotai ir jø komponavimo specifika

Egipto 1 svaro banknoto aversas 50 eurø banknoto aversas ir reversas

Egyptian 1 pound banknote, front 50 euro banknote, front and back

Banknotes and Peculiarities of Their Composition

35

Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

XVII a. Europoje pasirodæ banknotai á Lietuvà nepateko. XVIII a. pabaigos suirutë Lenkijos ir Lietuvos valstybëje bei po to vykæ padalijimai galutinai likvidavo valstybæ. Norint atgaivinti ekonomikà po 1772 m. padalijimo, bandyta ieðkoti naujø kreditavimo formø. Tada ir buvo pritaikyta Anglijos, Ðvedijos, Austrijos ir kitø valstybiø, kur jau buvo sukurta bankø sistema, patirtis. 1774 m. Seime Janas Aleksandras Kraðevskis (Jan Aleksander Kraszewski) pateikë popieriniø pinigø projektà, taèiau, sulaukus pasiprieðinimo, projekto atsisakyta. Vëliau, pritariant paèiam karaliui Stanislovui Augustui, vël pamëginta já atgaivinti. Labai nusipelnë Varðuvos bankininkas Andþejus Kapostas (Andrzej Kapostas), kuris parengë Valstybinio banko struktûros ir popieriniø pinigø emisijos planà. Taèiau idëjà ágyvendino tik Tado Kosciuðkos sukilimo vadovai, kaip minëta, jie iðleido pirmuosius popierinius pinigus. Þlugus sukilimui, pasibaigë ir trumpas ðiø pinigø Lenkijos ir Lietuvos valstybëje egzistavimas. Po Treèiojo padalijimo Lietuvos Didþiàjà Kunigaikðtystæ (LDK) prijungus prie carinës Rusijos, Lietuvoje iki pat Pirmojo pasaulinio karo kursavo rusiðki rubliai. Vokieèiams uþëmus Lietuvà, 1916 m. jø karinë administracija ákûrë Rytø skolinamosios kasos Kauno skyriø, kuriam pavedë leisti pinigus Lietuvos (tada su dalimi dabartinës Gudijos ir Lenkijos) ir Kurðo (dabar Latvija) teritorijoms. Ðiø pinigø averso tekstai buvo spausdinami vokieèiø, o reverso – lietuviø, lenkø ir latviø kalbomis. Pinigai buvo vadinami ostrubliais, vëliau – ostmarkëmis, paskelbus Lietuvos nepriklausomybæ – auksinais. Jie iðsilaikë apyvartoje, kol buvo ávesti litai. Nacionalinës valiutos klausimas Lietuvoje svarstytas 1919 m. pradþioje. Planuota piniginá vienetà pavadinti muðtiniu. 1919 m. rugpjûèio mën. dailininkas Antanas Þmuidzinavièius supaþindino Ministrø Kabineto narius su banknotø projektais, taèiau, pradëjus bûgðtauti, kad per karus ir okupacijas sugriautas visuomenës pasitikëjimas pinigais gali suþlugdyti ir naujuosius lietuviðkus, be to, iðkilus sunkumams dël pinigø gamybos, parengiamieji darbai buvo nutraukti. Po

The banknotes which appeared in Europe in the 17th century did not reach Lithuania. The upheavals in the State of Poland and Lithuania in late 18th century and the ensuing partitions of the country brought the state into a complete ruin. In order to revive the economy after the partition of 1772, attempts were made to find new crediting forms. It was then that the experience of England, Sweden, and other states that had already established their banking systems was applied. In 1774 Jan Aleksander Kraszewski submitted a paper money project to the Seimas, but it met with opposition and was rejected. Later on, efforts were made to revive the project that was supported by King Stanislaus Augustus himself. Andrzej Kapostas should be mentioned as a person of greatest merit: he developed a plan for the structure of the state bank and the issue of paper money. However, the idea was only implemented by the leaders of Tadeusz Koúciuszko uprising who, as mentioned above, issued the first paper money. The brief existence of these notes came to an end soon after the revolt failed. After the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was annexed to czarist Russia as a result of the third partition of the State of Poland and Lithuania, Russian roubles circulated in Lithuania until the start of World War I. In 1916, upon the occupation of Lithuania by Germany, its military administration established the Kaunas branch of the Eastern Credit Fund (Darlehnskasse Ost), which was authorised to issue currency in the territories of Lithuania (at that time it included a part of the present Belarus and Poland) and Curonia (present Latvia). The texts on the front of these banknotes were printed in German, and on the back in the Lithuanian, Polish and Latvian languages. At first the money was named ostroubles and later ostmarks, and, after Lithuania declared its independence, it was called auksinas. This currency remained in circulation until the introduction of the litas. National currency issues were considered in Lithuania in early 1919. It was intended to name the monetary unit muðtinis. In August 1919,

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

37

T. Kosciuðkos sukilimo laikø pinigai

Money of the times of the T. Koúciuszko-led uprising

to dar ne kartà buvo gráþta prie pinigø klausimo, svarstytas net Suomijos, Estijos, Latvijos ir Lietuvos bendros valiutos projektas, bet tik 1922 m., sustiprëjus Lietuvos politinei ir ekonominei padëèiai, buvo imtasi konkreèiø priemoniø. Seimo Ekonominës komisijos siûlymu nacionaliná piniginá vienetà nutarta pavadinti litu, o jo ðimtàjà dalá – centu. Pagal dailininko Adomo Varno parengtus projektus Prahos A. Hasës spaustuvë pinigus sutiko pagaminti per tris mënesius. Kasdien nuvertëjantis auksinas vertë skubëti, todël, kol Prahoje bus spausdinami tikrieji banknotai, buvo nutarta iðleisti á apyvartà laikinuosius banknotus. Jie per tris savaites buvo atspausdinti O. Elsnerio spaustuvëje Berlyne, suprojektavus juos ið turimø ornamentø rinkiniø bei priderinus lietuviðkus tekstus ir Vytá. 1922 m. spalio 2 d. laikinieji

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

the artist Antanas Þmuidzinavièius presented banknote designs to the Cabinet of Ministers. However, because of the fears that the distrust of the public in money, inherited from the years of wars and occupations, may harm the new Lithuanian currency and due to currency production problems the preparatory work was discontinued. It was only in 1922 that actual action was taken, when the economic and political situation in Lithuania had improved. Following the proposal of the Seimas Economic Commission it was decided to name the national monetary unit litas, and one-hundredth of the litas was named centas. The first series of the Lithuanian currency contained only paper notes from 1 centas to 100 litas. With time the banknotes of those series, in particular those of high denominations, were replaced by

T. Kosciuðkos sukilimo laikø pinigai

pinigai iðleisti á apyvartà, tø paèiø metø gruodþio mënesá á Lietuvos þmoniø rankas atiduoti ir tikrøjø litø banknotai. Pirmøjø lietuviðkø pinigø laidà sudarë vien popieriniai banknotai nuo 1 cento iki 100 litø. Laikui bëgant, ðios laidos banknotai, ypaè didþiøjø nominalø, buvo keièiami saugesniais ir graþesnio dizaino. 1924 m. paskelbtas konkursas 500 ir 1 000 litø banknotø projektams sukurti. Já laimëjo dailininkai Vilius Jomantas (500 Lt) ir Adomas Galdikas (1 000 Lt). Pinigus atspausdino Anglijos spaustuvë Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co Ltd. Vëliau visus lietuviðkus banknotus gamino tik ði spaustuvë. 1927 m. A. Þmuidzinavièius parengë naujà 10 litø banknoto projektà, 1928 m. iðleisti naujo pavyzdþio A. Galdiko sukurti 50 ir 100 litø, 1929 m. – 5 litø, 1930 m. – 20 litø banknotai.

notes that were better protected and had a more appealing design. In 1924, a tender was announced to design 500 and 1 000 litas banknotes. The winners were Vilius Jomantas for the 500 litas banknote design and Adomas Galdikas for 1 000. The banknotes were printed by the British printing company Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co Ltd. Later, the same company printed all Lithuanian banknotes. In 1927, Antanas Þmuidzinavièius prepared a new design of the 10 litas note, and other banknotes of a new design created by Adomas Galdikas were also issued into circulation: 50 and 100 litas in 1928, 5 litas in 1929 and 20 litas in 1930. The new 10 litas banknote of 1938 series designed by the same artist was also produced, yet it was never issued into circulation.

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

39

Money of the times of the T. Koúciuszko-led uprising

Pirmojo pasaulinio karo vokieèiø okupacinës valdþios ostrubliai

Ostroubles of German occupation authorities during World War I

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

Pirmojo pasaulinio karo vokieèiø okupacinës valdþios ostrubliai

Ostroubles of German occupation authorities during World War I

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

41

Pirmojo pasaulinio karo vokieèiø okupacinës valdþios ostrubliai

Ostroubles of German occupation authorities during World War I

42

Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

Pirmojo pasaulinio karo vokieèiø okupacinës valdþios ostmarkës

Ostmarks of German occupation authorities during World War I

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

43

Pirmojo pasaulinio karo vokieèiø okupacinës valdþios ostmarkës

Ostmarks of German occupation authorities during World War I

44

Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

Nepriklausomos Lietuvos laikinieji litai

Provisional litas of independent Lithuania

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

45

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

Tikrinami laikinieji banknotai 1922 m. laidos banknotai. Dail. A. Varnas

Provisional litas banknotes are checked Banknotes of 1922. Design by A. Varnas

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

47

1922 m. laidos banknotai. Dail. A. Varnas

Banknotes of 1922. Design by A. Varnas

48

Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

1922 m. laidos banknotai. Dail. A. Varnas

Banknotes of 1922. Design by A. Varnas

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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1922 m. laidos banknotai. Dail. A. Varnas

Banknotes of 1922. Design by A. Varnas

50

Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

1924 m. laidos 500 litø banknotas. Dail. V. Jomantas

500 litas banknote of 1924. Design by V. Jomantas

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

51

1924 m. laidos 1 000 litø banknotas. Dail. A. Galdikas

1 000 litas banknote of 1924. Design by A. Galdikas

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

1927 m. laidos 10 litø banknotas. Dail. A. Þmuidzinavièius 1928 m. laidos 50 litø banknotas. Dail. A. Galdikas

10 litas banknote of 1927. Design by A. Þmuidzinavièius 50 litas banknote of 1928. Design by A. Galdikas

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

53

1928 m. laidos 100 litø banknotas. Dail. A. Galdikas

100 litas banknote of 1928. Design by A. Galdikas

54

Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

1929 m. laidos 5 litø banknotas. Dail. A. Galdikas 1930 m. laidos 20 litø banknotas. Dail. A. Galdikas

5 litas banknote of 1929. Design by A. Galdikas 20 litas banknote of 1930. Design by A. Galdikas

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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Neiðleistas á apyvartà 1938 m. laidos 10 litø banknotas. Dail. A. Galdikas

10 litas banknote of 1938, never put into circulation. Design by A. Galdikas

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

Konkurse premijuoti banknotø eskizai. Dail. A. Mandeika

1940 m. Lietuvà okupavus Tarybø Sàjungai, nutrûko nepilnus du deðimtmeèius gyvavusio lito egzistavimas. Karø ir okupacijø sumaiðtyje Lietuvos þmonës su nostalgija prisimindavo tvirtà tarpukario valiutà, daugelis iðsaugojo ðiuos pinigus kaip brangø ramaus gyvenimo prisiminimà. Prieðkario Lietuvos dailininkø kûrybos bruoþø galima pastebëti ir pirmuose atgimstanèios Lietuvos dailininkø pinigø projektuose. Nuo pat Atgimimo pradþios nedràsiai, o vëliau vis ryþtingiau buvo kalbama apie lietuviðkus pinigus. Svarstant ekonominio savarankiðkumo TSRS sudëtyje problemas, tokios mintys per daug netrikdë oficialios ávykiø tëkmës ir prie to pripratino visuomenæ bei tuometinius Lietuvos vadovus. 1989 m. rugsëjo 11 d. Vilniuje bûrelis mokslininkø, bankininkø ir dailininkø susirinko Istorijos institute ir aptarë lietuviðkø pinigø projektavimo gaires. Netrukus tuo reikalu sukviestame dailininkø susirinkime paskelbta nacionaliniø pinigø idëja sulaukë pritarimo, taèiau, kai reikëjo imtis specifinio, didelës kantrybës, daug laiko reikalaujanèio ir su pavojais susijusio darbo, entuziastø atsirado nedaug. Norint paskatinti ir padràsinti potencialius autorius, buvo nutarta organizuoti lietuviðkø pinigø projektø konkursà. Naujus pinigus pradëta kurti neturint aiðkaus supratimo, kaip tai reikëtø daryti. Niekas – nei organizatoriai, nei dailininkai – neþinojo, nuo ko pradëti, kaip pinigai turi atrodyti, kaip jie turi bûti parengti gamybai, kur bus spausdinami. Dabar – ne paslaptis, kad visas Lietuvos tarpukario palikimas buvo priimamas be kritikos, profesionaliai neásigilinant, nelyginant su toli per 50 metø nuþengusio pasaulio laimëjimais, uþmirðtant, kad mûsø visuomenë tapo informaciniø technologijø visuomene. Jauni dailininkai neturëjo galimybës þinoti, kaip projektuojami ir spausdinami uþsienio ðaliø pinigai, koks jø gamybos procesas. Tarybiniø pinigø gamyba buvo áslaptinta, saugoma grësmingojo KGB. Pagaliau tada niekam net á galvà neatëjo mintis tuo domëtis, ið anksto buvo þinoma, kad tai pavojinga.

The existence of the litas for nearly 20 years was terminated in 1940, when the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania. Throughout the chaos of wars and occupations the people of Lithuania retained the nostalgia for the stable interwar currency; many of them preserved coins and banknotes as a cherished memory of the peaceful life. Some artistic features used by the Lithuanian pre-war artists can be traced in the first currency designs done by the artists in the period of Lithuanian rebirth. From the very start of the national revival movement the necessity of introducing Lithuanian currency was discussed, timidly at first, but later these discussions acquired a more determined nature. As the consideration of the problems of economic sovereignty within the USSR went on, such ideas did not disturb too much the official flow of events, yet they got the public and the Lithuanian leaders of the time accustomed to them. On September 11, 1989 a group of scholars, bankers and artists gathered at the Institute of History in Vilnius and discussed the outline of designing the Lithuanian currency. An extra meeting of artists was arranged soon afterwards and the publicly announced idea of the national currency met their approval. However, there were not so many enthusiasts when the time came to embark on a very specific, patiencerequiring, time-consuming and even dangerous task. In order to encourage potential authors it was decided to organize a tender for designing the Lithuanian currency. The creation of the new currency started without clear understanding how it should be done. No one, neither the organizers, nor artists knew what to start with, what the money should look like, how the designs had to be prepared for production and where the currency would be printed. It is no secret now that everything inherited from the interwar Lithuania used to be accepted without any criticism and professional analysis, without making comparisons with the achievements of the world made during the period of fifty years and without taking into

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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Award-winning banknote sketches. Design by A. Mandeika

Konkurse premijuoti banknotø eskizai. Dail. A. Mandeika

Award-winning banknote sketches. Design by A. Mandeika

Sàjûdþiui ásisiûbuojant, visuomenë tapo ryþtingesnë ir dràsesnë. 1989 m. gruodþio 13 d. Lietuvos TSR kultûros ministras D. Trinkûnas ir TSRS valstybinio banko Lietuvos respublikinio banko pirmininkas Z. Þilevièius paskelbë pinigø projektø rengimo konkursà. Sàlygose buvo nurodyta: „Autoriai pateikia piniginiø bilietø (litø) ir monetø (centø) bendrà meninæ koncepcijà. Litams – bendrà visø nominalø spalvinio sprendimo, grafinio apipavidalinimo, vandens þenklø, skaitmenø komponavimo sistemà“. Buvo reikalaujama nominalo skaièiø visuose keturiuose averso kampuose, áraðo „Uþ banknoto padirbimà baudþiama ástatyme numatyta tvarka“, istoriniø asmenø portretø. Rekomenduota reverse abiejuose banknoto kraðtuose, o didelës vertës (50 ir 100 Lt) – dar ir apaèioje ties viduriu raðyti banknoto vertæ skaièiais, taip pat rekomenduota naudoti „lietuviø tautinës simbolikos þenklus, þymiø istorijos, architektûros paminklø, vietoviø ir kitus atvaizdus“. Dailininkai á atkuriamos Lietuvos pinigus þiûrëjo kaip á tarpukario litø tàsà ir ekonominiu, ir meniniu aspektu. Konkursui pateiktuose projektuose buvo aiðkiai pastebima tendencija sekti senaisiais lietuviðkais, o kai kur ir rusiðkais – cariniais bei tarybiniais – banknotais. Darbus puoðë ámantrûs kartuðai, manieringi ðriftai, buvo gausu liaudiðkø audiniø ir juostø ornamentø, mediniø verpsèiø, langø papuoðimø fragmentø. Þiuri konkursui pateiktus darbus vertino gana skeptiðkai, priekaiðtavo dël kompozicijos archaiðkumo, modernesnio poþiûrio stokos. Nuspræsta pirmos premijos neskirti. Dvi antros buvo paskirtos: uþ banknotø projektus – dailininkams Alvydui Mandeikai ir Liudvikui Pociui, uþ monetas – Petrui Henrikui Garðkai ir dvi treèios uþ monetas – Jolantai Balkevièienei ir Antanui Þukauskui. Antros premijos laimëtojas – jauniausias konkurso dalyvis A. Mandeika, Vilniaus dailës akademijos Tapybos katedros I kurso studentas – visus savo banknotus papuoðë LDK valdovø imaginaciniais portretais. Tai – portretai, sukurti dailininko, niekada nemaèiusio paties portretuojamojo, o vadovaujantis vien fantazija ir turimomis þiniomis apie tà laikotarpá. Kartais tokie portretai

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

account the fact that this was already an information technology society. Young artists had no opportunities to learn how foreign currencies were designed and printed, and what printing processes were used in banknote production. Production of the Soviet currency was a secret protected by the menacing KGB. Moreover, no one had an idea to show interest in the subject, as everybody knew in advance that this was dangerous. With the spread of the Sàjûdis movement people became more resolute and courageous. On December 13, 1989, a tender was announced by the Minister of Culture of the Soviet Republic of Lithuania Dainius Trinkûnas and the Governor of the Lithuanian Republic Office of the USSR State Bank Zenonas Þilevièius for drafting designs of the national currency. The terms and conditions of the tender contained the following requirements: “Authors shall present a general artistic conception of monetary bills (litas) and coins (centas). A common solution for colours, graphic design, watermarks and numerals shall be presented for all denominations of litas banknotes”. It was required that banknotes should have denomination numerals in all four corners on the front, the inscription “Counterfeiting of banknotes is punished by law” and portraits of historical personalities. It was recommended that the denomination value in words should be inscribed on both sides of the back, and for the notes of high denominations (50 and 100) the denomination numeral should be additionally placed in the centre near the bottom edge of the note. Potential authors were also urged to use “Lithuanian national symbols, images of famous architectural monuments, places and other similar drawings”. Artists regarded the currency of the reviving Lithuania as a continuation of the interwar litas in both the economic and artistic sense. The designs showed an obvious tendency of following old Lithuanian, in some cases even Russian, czarist as well as Soviet, banknotes. The designs contained intricate cartouches, pretentious lettering, abundant

Konkurse premijuoti banknotø eskizai. Dail. L. Pocius

bûdavo sukuriami po valdovo mirties praëjus net keliems ðimtmeèiams. Dauguma LDK kunigaikðèiø portretø buvo paskelbta XVI a. Aleksandro Gvagninio kronikoje, o kai kurie ið jø – Vytauto Didþiojo, Kæstuèio – yra XIX–XX a. dailininkø kûrybos vaisius. Taèiau ðie portretai yra taip áaugæ á lietuvio sàmonæ, kad niekas ir nepaþintø kitokio, pvz., Gedimino. A. Mandeika valdovø portretus iðdëstë chronologiðkai. Maþiausio nominalo banknotà papuoðë seniausiai Lietuvà valdæs karalius Mindaugas, o didesniø nominalø banknotai buvo skirti vëliau valdþiusiesiems. Banknotø reversuose A. Mandeika vaizdavo Lietuvos architektûros ir istorijos paminklus: Ðv. Onos ir Bernardinø baþnyèias, net dviejuose banknotuose – Trakø pilá bei jos fragmentus, Tris kryþius, J. Zikaro skulptûrà „Laisvë“ ir kt. Autorius neieðkojo teminio ryðio tarp averso ir reverso, kiekviena banknoto pusë buvo komponuojama visiðkai savarankiðkai, taèiau visus banknotø aversus siejo viena bendra komponavimo schema, o reversus – kita. Dar mokydamasis vidurinëje mokykloje, A. Mandeika kolekcionavo pinigus, juos pieðë savo malonumui ir buvo gerai susipaþinæs su lietuviðkais tarpukario banknotais. Jo projektuose aiðkiai pastebima XX a. treèià deðimtmetá A. Varno sukurtø banknotø átaka – pjaustinëtø mediniø ornamentø gausa, ámantrûs ðriftai ir Vyèio skydo formos, tekstø bei skaièiø iðdëstymas parodo mokytojà. Po konkurso sudarytoje pinigø projektavimo grupëje A. Mandeikai buvo pavesta sukurti 10 litø banknotà su Vydûnu ir Klaipëdos motyvais. Jaunam dailininkui darbas nesisekë, matyt, trûko profesiniø ágûdþiø, be to, buvo sunku konkuruoti su águdusiais pieðëjais. Pagaliau temos buvo atsisakyta (vëliau ðià temà ágyvendino dailininkas Rytis Valantinas 200 Lt banknote). Ðiek tiek modernesni buvo kito autoriaus, premijuoto antra premija, projektai. Tai þinomo vitraþisto L. Pociaus banknotø serija. Dailininkas rëmësi kur kas ilgesnio Lietuvos istorijos laikotarpio asmenybëmis. Maþiausio nominalo 1 lito averse jis atvaizdavo Steponà Dariø ir

ornamentation traditionally used in weaving national cloths and sashes, and fragments of window decorations. The jury was rather sceptical in assessing the presented designs; it reproached the artists for archaic compositions and absence of a more modern approach. It was decided that none of the submitted designs would be awarded the first prize. The other prizes were awarded as follows: two second prizes to Alvydas Mandeika and Liudvikas Pocius for banknote designs and to Petras Henrikas Garðka for coin designs, and two third prizes to Jolanta Balkevièienë and Antanas Þukauskas for coins. The second-prize winner Mandeika, a first-year student at the Painting Department of Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, decorated all his banknotes with the imaginary portraits of the rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Mandeika arranged the portraits of the rulers in a chronological sequence. The lowest-denomination note featured Mindaugas, the king who was the first to rule Lithuania, while banknotes of higher denominations were dedicated to subsequent rulers. The back sides of the notes designed by Mandeika showed architectural and historical monuments: the churches of St Anne and the Bernardines, Trakai Castle and its fragments (on two notes), the Three Crosses, the sculpture “Liberty” by Juozas Zikaras, etc. The author did not seek to disclose a thematic relation between the subjects on the front and back of the note: each side was composed separately, yet the fronts of the notes were unified by one layout and the backs by another. A currency design team was formed upon the completion of the tender and Mandeika was contracted to design the 10 litas banknote with the portrait of Vydûnas and motifs of Klaipeda. The young artist was not successful in accomplishing the task, probably, due to insufficient professional skills; in addition, he found it difficult to compete with experienced drawers. Finally, the topic of the note was rejected (it was later implemented in the 200 litas banknote designed by the artist Rytis Valantinas).

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Award-winning banknote sketches. Design by L. Pocius

Konkurse premijuoti banknotø eskizai. Dail. L. Pocius

Award-winning banknote sketches. Design by L. Pocius

Stasá Girënà, reverse – liûdinèià, tautiniais rûbais apsirengusià moterá. 3 litø aversà papuoðë Vinco Kudirkos portretas, o Kryþiø kalnà ir Rûpintojëlá reverse autorius sakësi skyræs okupacijø bei tremties aukoms pagerbti. 5 litø averse atvaizduotas pirmasis Vilniaus universiteto rektorius, garsus XVI a. teologas ir pamokslininkas Petras Skarga, jo reverse – Didysis universiteto kiemas su Ðv. Jonø baþnyèios fasadu. 10 litø aversà su Mikalojum Konstantinu Èiurlioniu reverse palydëjo jo paveikslo „Miestas“ motyvai. Laurynas Gucevièius ir Vilniaus Katedra vaizduojami 50 litø banknote, o 100 litø banknote – Vytauto Didþiojo portretas ir Trakø pilis. Taigi L. Pociaus projektuose gana aiðkus loginis ir teminis ryðys tarp averso ir reverso. Jo pasirinkti svarbûs Lietuvos istorijos ávykiai, asmenybës ir objektai vëliau buvo pakartoti kitø autoriø sukurtuose banknotuose. L. Pocius neliko dirbti projektavimo grupëje. Ið pradþiø jis projektavo 2 litø banknotà su Vytauto Didþiojo portretu bei Trakø pilimi. Vëliau nutarta ðiame banknote atvaizduoti kunigaikðtienæ Birutæ, dar vëliau – merginà senoviniais drabuþiais ir papuoðalais, o galiausiai, laikinai atsisakius maþøjø nominalø banknotø, dailininkas neteko temos. Jo nupieðtas iðraiðkingas Vytauto Didþiojo portretas nëra visiðkai originalus darbas, taèiau profesionalus pieðinys, verþli, iðraiðkinga valdovo poza gerai perteikia populiaraus kunigaikðèio ávaizdá. Portretas nepapuoðë banknoto, bet bûtø gaila, jei pieðinys sudûlëtø autoriaus stalèiuje – jis galëtø praturtinti negausià, o daþnai ir neprofesionalià mûsø valdovø imaginaciniø portretø galerijà. Konkurso rezultatai buvo vieðai paskelbti, premijuotø projektø reprodukcijos atspausdintos „Ðvyturio“ þurnale. 1990 m. balandþio mën. vietoje konkurso sàlygose numatyto antro etapo buvo organizuotos dailininkø ir konsultantø grupës, nuspræsta per keturis mënesius galutinai parengti pinigø projektus. Á projektuotojø grupæ buvo átraukti dailininkai J. Tolvaiðis, R. Bartkus, G. Jonaitis, A. Mandeika, L. Pocius, R. Valantinas. Be konkurse premijuotø L. Pociaus ir A. Mandeikos,

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The designs of the other second-prize winner were slightly more contemporary. It was a series of banknotes designed by the prominent stained-glass artist Liudvikas Pocius. He based the designs on the personalities selected from a much wider period in the history of Lithuania. The front of the lowest-denomination banknote, 1 litas, carried the portraits of Steponas Darius and Stasys Girënas and the reverse showed a sorrowful woman dressed in a national costume. The front of the 3 litas note was decorated with the portrait of Vincas Kudirka, while the Hill of Crosses and a wooden statuette of Pensive Christ on the back were dedicated, according to the author, to the victims of occupations and deportations. The 50 litas banknote contained the portrait of Laurynas Gucevièius and the picture of Vilnius Cathedral, and the 100 litas note the portrait of Vytautas the Great and a drawing of Trakai Castle. Thus, a plain logical and topical relationship between the front and back sides of the notes designed by Pocius was evident. The events, personalities and objects of great importance in the history of Lithuania chosen by the artist were later repeated in the banknotes designed by other authors. Pocius did not stay with the currency design team. At first he was designing the 2 litas banknote with the portrait of Vytautas the Great and Trakai Castle. Later on it was decided to represent Duchess Birutë on that note and, some time later, a girl wearing ancient clothes and jewellery. Finally it was decided to temporarily abandon banknotes of low denominations and the artist lost the topic. The expressive portrait of Vytautas the Great painted by Pocius was not an absolutely original piece of work, however the skilfully made portrait and the eloquent posture of the ruler well rendered the image of the popular Grand Duke. The results of the tender were publicly announced and copies of the awarded designs were published in the Ðvyturys magazine. In April 1990, teams of artists and consultants were organized instead of the second stage provided for in the terms and conditions of the tender with the

Konkurse premijuoti banknotø eskizai. Dail. L. Pocius

visi pakviestieji – Vilniaus dailës akademijos Grafikos katedrà baigæ jauni dailininkai, pasiþymëjæ kruopðtumu, stebinæ savo kolegas juvelyriðkais, didelio susikaupimo reikalaujanèiais darbais. Tik grupës vadovas dailininkas Raimondas Miknevièius, puikus grafiniø technologijø þinovas, buvo vyresnis. Rûpintis istorine medþiaga buvo pavesta istorikui E. Rimðai. Konsultantais pakviesti dailininkai V. Valius, A. Kaþdailis, A. Þvilius, A. Gurskas, B. Leonavièius ir ðiø eiluèiø autorius. Pasitarimuose, kurie vykdavo gana reguliariai, dalyvaudavo Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybës vadovai K. Prunskienë ir R. Ozolas, Lietuvos banko valdybos pirmininkas B. Povilaitis, mokslininkai V. Merkys, A. Tyla, A. Piroèkinas ir kt. Posëdþiuose buvo diskutuojama dël banknotø formato, jø spalvø, nominalø. Siûlyta, kad visø banknotø plotis bûtø vienodas, o ilgis priklausomai nuo nominalo dydþio keistøsi – didëjant nominalui, jis ilgëtø. Neaiðku, kodël atsisakyta ðio ádomaus pasiûlymo, gal manyta, kad tai apsunkins automatiná pinigø skaièiavimà ir supakavimà. Dabar jau þinoma, kad kai kurios Vakarø Europos ðalys yra iðleidusios banknotø su panaðiu jø dydþio kitimu. Sekant Amerikos doleriu, apsistota prie vienodo visø nominalø banknotø dydþio. Apsisprendþiant átakos turëjo ir gamybos iðlaidos – vienodo formato banknotø gamyba daug pigesnë. Spalvinë bûsimø banknotø gama sutapo su tarybiniø rubliø gama – 1 lito banknotà nutarta pieðti ochros, 2 litø – þalios, 5 litø – mëlynos spalvos. Tokiø spalvø buvo ðiø nominalø tarybiniai rubliai. Gana aktyviai projektavimo procese dalyvavo iðeivis ið Lietuvos Kæstutis Lynikas – pinigø gamybos ekspertas, gyvenæs Australijoje, tuomet vieðëjæs Lietuvoje. Jis buvo pakviestas konsultuoti mûsø banknotø kûrëjus. K. Lynikas davë pirmàsias pamokas apie pinigø gamybà, jø apsaugos priemones, primygtinai rekomendavo pieðti kiek ámanoma didesnius portretus, siûlë pieðinyje iðlaikyti ðviesius tonus, apsunkinanèius klastotojø darbà. Graviruotas portretas, pasak K. Lyniko, yra pasaulyje pripaþinta apsaugos priemonë. Jis net pateikë toká pavyzdá: susi-

intention of completing the designs within four months. The artists Justinas Tolvaiðis, Raimundas Bartkus, Giedrius Jonaitis, Alvydas Mandeika, Liudvikas Pocius and Rytis Valantinas joined the team. All the invited members of the team, except the prize-winners of the tender Pocius and Mandeika, were young artists, graduates of the Department of Graphics of Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, who had been known for their meticulousness and were admired by their colleagues for their extremely precise works requiring immense concentration. Only the head of the team and expert in graphic technology, Raimondas Miknevièius, was slightly older. The historian Edmundas Rimða was responsible for historical material. The artists Vytautas Valius, Arvydas Kaþdailis, Alfonsas Þvilius, Albertas Gurskas, Bronius Leonavièius and the author of this book were invited as consultants. Government leaders Kazimiera Prunskienë and Romualdas Ozolas, the Chairman of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania Bronius Povilaitis, scholars Vytautas Merkys, Antanas Tyla, Arnoldas Piroèkinas and others attended regular meetings. The Lithuanian émigré Kæstutis Lynikas, a currency production expert from Australia staying in Lithuania at the time, was a rather active participant in the design process. He was invited to provide consultations to our banknote designers. Lynikas gave the first lessons on currency production and its security features; he insisted on the recommendation of drawing portraits as large as possible, proposed keeping bright tints in the drawing to impede forgery. According to Lynikas, an engraved portrait was a security feature recognised worldwide. Lynikas criticised the prepared designs, explained that complicated ornaments were no obstacle for counterfeiters nowadays, that in small portraits errors made by them were difficult to notice; he proposed enlarging portraits and giving up excessive ornamentation. He advised avoiding vertical lines and vertically lined planes as in the process of printing inks wiped away in this direction from the printing plates might damage the prints. He said that a tonal drawing prepared by an

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Award-winning banknote sketches. Design by L. Pocius

„Pjovëja“. 1844 m. Dail. K. Ruseckas Vandenþenklio projektas – „Pjovëjos“ fragmentas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

“The Reaper” by K. Ruseckas, 1844 Watermark design as a detail from “The Reaper”. Design by G. Jonaitis

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Vandenþenklio projektas – Vytauto Didþiojo portretas. Dail. R. Valantinas

Watermark design as the portrait of Vytautas the Great. Design by R. Valantinas

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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Banknotø projektø eskizai. Dail. R. Valantinas

Sketches for banknote designs by R. Valantinas

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paþinai su mergina, po kurio laiko eini á pasimatymà su ja ir didelëje minioje ið karto jà pastebi. Taip ir pinigø vartotojai – kartà ásidëmëjæ banknoto portretà, nesunkiai pastebi klastotojø klaidas. K. Lynikas kritikavo parengtus projektus, aiðkino, kad ðiandien sudëtingi ornamentai padirbinëtojams jau nëra kliûtis, kad maþuose portretuose sunkiai pastebimos klastotojø daromos klaidos, siûlë iðdidinti portretus ir atsisakyti perdëto ornamentavimo. Jis patarë vengti vertikaliø linijø ir jomis subrûkðniuotø plokðtumø, nes spausdinimo metu ðia kryptimi nuo spaudos formos nuvalomi daþai gali sugadinti atspaudus. Jis sakë, kad dailininkø parengtas toninis pieðinys turi bûti paverèiamas linijiniu paèiam autoriui priþiûrint. Pripaþinto specialisto patarimai ir padràsinimas buvo didelë parama ðioje srityje pirmus þingsnius þengiantiems banknotø dizaino autoriams. Gaila, vëliau K. Lyniko paslaugø buvo atsisakyta. Jis iðvyko á Australijà, o gráþo tik kilus skandalui dël pinigø spausdinimo United States Banknote Corporation (USBC) – dalyvavo ekspertø komisijoje, vertinusioje pagamintus banknotus. Stengiantis pasisemti patirties, pinigø projektavimo grupës susirinkimuose buvo studijuojami pasaulio ðaliø banknotø katalogai, nustatyta maþø ir dideliø nominalø grupiø komponavimo schema. Ið pradþiø laikytasi prieðkarinës Lietuvos pinigø stiliaus, kuriam buvo bûdingi nedideli portretai, apsupti kartuðø ir ornamentø, daugiausia ðviesûs ðriftai tamsesniame fone ir kt. Istorikai ir kalbininkai nurodë, kieno portretai bus vaizduojami banknotø averse ir kokios temos juos lydës reverse. Atsiþvelgiant á tai, kad nëra autentiðkø savarankiðkos LDK valdovø portretø, buvo nutarta atsisakyti abejotinø imaginaciniø portretø ir apsistota prie XIX a. tautinio atgimimo asmenybiø bei XX a. pradþios Lietuvai nusipelniusiø þmoniø atvaizdø. Á pasirinktø asmenybiø sàraðà pateko tik viena moteris, ji papuoðë maþiausio nominalo banknotà. Tai buvo padaryta jau numaèius asmenybiø sàraðà, po K. Lyniko pastabos, kad jame nëra moterø. Jis sakë, kad, iðleidæ lietuviðkus banknotus tik su vyrø portretais, sukelsime viso pasaulio feministinio judëjimo pasipiktinimà, todël bûtina ádëti bent vienos þymios Lietuvos moters portretà. Buvo pasirinkta raðytoja Þemaitë, reverse – Palûðës baþnytëlë. Tik vëliau susigriebta, kad ateistei Þemaitei visiðkai netinka su religija susijæs reverso vaizdas, bet jau buvo per vëlu. Buvo siûloma visø banknotø reversuose pasirinkti su averso asmenybe glaudþiai susijusius vaizdus – architektûros ar istorijos paminklus, peizaþus, dailës kûriniø motyvus. Deja, kai kuriø banknotø abiejø pusiø loginis ryðys kelia abejoniø. Visi dailininkai dirbo atskirai, kiekvienas savo studijoje. Atneðus projektus á aptarimà, paaiðkëjo didelë kompozicijos, stiliø, ðriftø ir ornamentø ávairovë. Geriausia, kai vienos laidos banknotus pieðia vienas autorius – taip iðlaikoma bendra stilistika ir komponavimo schema. Lietuvoje ðis atvejis netiko: pirmiausia, neliko jokios vilties, kad vienas þmogus per planuotà trumpà laikà galëtø nupieðti tiek nominalø banknotø, antra, nebuvo tokio patyrusio dailininko, kuriam nedvejojant bûtø galima patikëti didþiulës atsakomybës, nepaprasto kruopðtumo ir specifiniø ágûdþiø bei þiniø reikalaujantá darbà.

artist should be turned into a linear one under the supervision of the author. The advice and encouragement of the recognised expert represented significant support for banknote designers making the first steps in this area. It is a pity Lynikas’ services were later relinquished. He left for Australia to come back only after an outbreak of the scandal about note printing with the United States Banknote Corporation (USBC) and participated in a panel of experts which assessed the notes produced. In order to gain experience, catalogues of banknotes of different countries of the world were studied and a scheme for the layout of low and high denomination groups was established during the meetings of the currency design team. At the beginning, the team stuck to the style of the pre-war Lithuanian money, characterised by small portraits surrounded by cartouches and ornaments, mostly light lettering against a darker background, etc. Historians and linguists decided whose portraits would be depicted on the front of banknotes and what subjects would match them on the back. Given the fact that no authentic portraits of the rulers of the self-dependent Grand Duchy of Lithuania were available, the decision was taken to give up doubtful imaginary portraits and settle on the images of personalities of the 19th century national rebirth movement and Lithuanian persons of merit of early 20th century. Only one woman appeared on the list of personalities selected to decorate the banknote of the lowest denomination. This was done after the list of personalities had been completed, in response to Lynikas’ remark that there was not a single woman on the list. He said that by issuing Lithuanian banknotes carrying male portraits only we would raise indignation among the feminist movement all over the world, therefore including the portrait of at least one outstanding Lithuanian female was a must. The choice fell on the writer Þemaitë and the back featured a small church in Palûðë. Only later was it realised that the image on the back of the note and the atheist Þemaitë were an absolute mismatch, but it was loo late. With respect to the back of each note, the suggestion was to opt for images closely relating to the personality portrayed on the front, such as architectural and historical monuments, landscapes, and motifs of works of art. Unfortunately, in some of the banknotes the logical link between both sides has remained open to doubt. All artists worked separately, each in their own studios. When they brought their designs for discussion, it turned out that the range of compositions, styles, fonts and ornaments varied greatly. Ideally, banknotes of the same series should be drawn by one author, which allows maintaining the general style and the layout scheme. In Lithuania, though, this was not possible: firstly, there was no hope for one person to draw such a number of banknote denominations over the established short period; secondly, no experienced artist was available who could have been entrusted without hesitation with this work requiring extreme responsibility, extraordinary diligence, and specific skills and knowledge.

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Banknotø komponavimo schema Giljoðo projekto fragmentas. Dail. R. Miknevièius

Banknote layout scheme Detail of a guilloche. Design by R. Miknevièius

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1 lito banknoto fragmento grafinio pieðinio eskizas. Dail. R. Miknevièius

Sketch for the graphic design of a detail from the 1 litas banknote. Design by R. Miknevièius

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Lietuviðki banknotai su uþsienio banknotø spaustuvës specialistø siûlomais ornamentais

Lithuanian banknotes with ornaments proposed by the experts of a foreign banknote printing company

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Lietuviðki banknotai su uþsienio banknotø spaustuvës specialistø siûlomais ornamentais

Lithuanian banknotes with ornaments proposed by the experts of a foreign banknote printing company

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Aptarinëjant projektus, buvo ieðkoma iðraiðkingesniø, modernesniø formø, bendros maþøjø ir didþiøjø nominalø grupiø stilistikos. Lietuvos banko atstovai dailininkams perdavë banknotus gaminanèiø uþsienio spaustuviø, su kuriomis buvo vedamos derybos, keliamus reikalavimus. Buvo gautas nurodymas deðimt kartø iðdidinti banknotø projektus ir teptuku imituoti iðgraviruotø portretø linijas. Manyta, kad tokiu bûdu bus apeitas labai brangus ir daug laiko reikalaujantis portreto graviravimas, be to, gamyba bus pigesnë. Dalis autoriø darbus baigë, kiti nesuspëjo – sumanymo buvo atsisakyta. Pinigø tematika formavosi palengva darbo metu. Aptarinëjant eskizus, teko keisti vienà ar kità motyvà. Kai kuriø banknotø temos ir motyvai keitësi po kelis kartus. Dailininkø grupë dirbo apie metus, vëliau, ið grupës iðëjus A. Mandeikai ir L. Pociui, ið likusiøjø kiekvienas parengë bent po vienà banknotà. 1990 m. liepos 31 d. litø projektai pristatyti Aukðèiausiosios Tarybos Prezidiumui ir parodytas trumpas reportaþas LTV „Panoramoje“. Jau rengiant projektus, pradëta rûpintis banknotø gamyba. Ið pradþiø galvota susitarti su artimiausiomis kaimynëmis – Baltijos respublikomis – ir vienoje ið jø ásteigti pinigø spaustuvæ. Paaiðkëjus, kad tai kainuotø labai brangiai, tos minties atsisakyta ir pradëta ieðkoti galimybiø uþsienyje. Tartasi su Vokietijos, Ðveicarijos ir Prancûzijos banknotø spaustuvëmis. Pasirinkta Franšois Charles Oberthur, ir dailininkai R. Bartkus bei G. Jonaitis drauge su banko darbuotojais kelioms dienoms iðvyko á Prancûzijà. Pinigø gamybos procesas prasidëjo, taèiau tuoj nutrûko. Prancûzijos bankas dël susidariusios politinës padëties, greièiausiai TSRS vyriausybës spaudþiamas, atsisakë kredituoti banknotø spausdinimà. Tolesnës derybos ieðkant bûdø gauti paskolà buvo nesëkmingos. Spaustuvë darbus sustabdë, mûsø atstovai gráþo namo, o projektai liko. Lietuvos bankui jie gràþinti tik 1997 m. Ðiuo metu projektai saugomi Lietuvos banko muziejuje. Reikia pasakyti, kad darbai, kuriuos spaustuvë suspëjo padaryti, labai nuvylë projektø autorius. Gauti bandomieji atspaudai tiesiog iðgàsdino dailininkus. Portretai buvo perpieðti, nepanaðûs á Lietuvoje taip gerai paþástamus þmones, giljoðo ornamentai neestetiðki. Siekiant sumaþinti gamybos iðlaidas, nuspræsta popieriø visiems banknotams gaminti su vienodu vandenþenkliu. Kai kurie autoriai siûlë naudoti Lietuvos dailës kûriniø motyvus – skulptûrinæ galvutæ ið Ðv. Petro ir Povilo baþnyèios ar dailininko Kanuto Rusecko „Pjovëjos“ fragmentà, kiti – imaginacinius kunigaikðèio Vytauto Didþiojo ar karaliaus Mindaugo portretus. Vandenþenkliu buvo pasirinktas valstybës herbas Vytis su po juo esanèiais Gediminaièiø stulpais. Lietuvos þiniasklaidoje buvo pasirodæ publikacijø apie nuolatiná KGB dëmesá mûsø pinigø gamybos organizatoriams ir banknotø dailininkams. Maskva neakivaizdþiai dalyvavo derybose su banknotø spaustuvëmis, sekë kiekvienà atsikurianèios Lietuvos þingsná. Konkursas buvo atviras, susikûrusi pinigø projektavimo grupë taip pat dirbo nesislapstydama, nors kartais þmonës pastebëdavo esà sekami. Ðalies vadovybë baiminosi, kad parengti projektai gali bûti atimti ir sunaikinti, tuo atve-

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In discussing the designs, more expressive and modern forms and styles common for low and high denomination were sought. Bank of Lithuania representatives acquainted the designers with the requirements of the foreign banknote making companies negotiated with. The artists were instructed to enlarge 10 times their banknote designs and to imitate with the brush the lines in the engraved portraits. It was believed that this would help avoid the very expensive and timeconsuming portrait engraving and would make production cheaper. Part of the authors completed their work, while others failed to finish it in time and the idea was given up. The themes of notes emerged little by little during the work. Discussions of the sketches made change one motif or another. The themes and motifs of some banknotes changed several times. The team of artists worked for about one year. Later, when Mandeika and Pocius left, each of the remaining artists designed at least one banknote. On 31 July 1990, the litas designs were presented to the Presidium of the Supreme Council and a short news report was shown on the Panorama news show on the Lithuanian TV. Banknote production was being considered during the design process. The original idea was to agree with the closest neighbours, the Baltic States, on establishing a banknote printing house in one of them. When it turned out that this would cost too much, the idea was given up and possibilities were explored abroad. Negotiations were held with German, Swiss and French banknote production companies. The choice was made on the Franšois Charles Oberthur and the designers Rimvydas Bartkus and Giedrius Jonaitis left for France together with Bank of Lithuania staff for a few days’ visit. The process of banknote production started but was soon disrupted. Owing to the political situation, most likely under the pressure of the USSR Government, a French bank refused to credit the printing of the notes. Further negotiations in search for a credit were unsuccessful. The printing house stopped its work and our representatives returned home, while the designs remained in France. In order to lower the cost of production, a decision was taken to produce paper with the same watermark for all notes. Some authors suggested using motifs from Lithuanian works of art, such as the head of a sculpture at St. Peter and Paul’s Church or a fragment from “The Reaper” by Kanutas Ruseckas, others proposed imaginary portraits of Grand Duke Vytautas the Great or King Mindaugas. The state emblem, the Vytis with Gediminas Columns underneath was finally chosen for the watermark. A few reports about the constant attention of the KGB towards the organisers of production of our own currency and banknote designers appeared in Lithuanian media. Moscow lingered behind the scenes in negotiations with banknote companies, following every step of Lithuania in rebirth. The tender was open; the team of currency designers worked in the open as well, although sometimes the people noticed being followed. National authorities feared the ready designs

Banknotø projektø eskizai. Dail. Ð. Leonavièius

Sketches for banknote. Design by Ð. Leonavièius

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Uþsienio banknotø spaustuvës specialistø siûlomi lietuviðkø banknotø komponavimo eskizai

Sketches of composition for Lithuanian banknotes proposed by the experts of a foreign banknote printing company

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ju Lietuva liktø be galimybës pasigaminti savus pinigus. Buvo nutarta kurti atsarginius banknotø projektus ir kreiptasi á jaunà dailininkà grafikà Ðarûnà Leonavièiø, kad ðis nupieðtø banknotà, pagal kurá bûtø galima sukomponuoti visø nominalø banknotus. Pageidauta, kad banknotø iðvaizda primintø tarpukario litus. Dailininkas sukomponavo banknotà, kuriame vyravo ornamentai. Viename banknoto kraðte nupieðë ðvè. Mergelæ Marijà, o kitame – Vytá. Kompozicijoje paliko erdves, vienà – vandenþenkliui Gediminaièiø stulpams ir aðtuonkampei heraldinei þvaigþdei, o kità – keièiamam nominalo skaièiui. Be to, kiekvieno nominalo banknotas turëjo skirtis spalva. Dailininkas dirbo visiðkai slaptai. Apie jo darbus þinojo tik grafikos technologijø specialistas S. Katkus ir tuometinë ðalies vadovybë V. Landsbergis ir G. Vagnorius. Jau studijuodamas Vilniaus dailës akademijos Grafikos katedroje, Ð. Leonavièius garsëjo nepaprastu kruopðtumu ir kantrybe. Jo studentiðki darbai buvo didelio formato ofortai – daugiafigûrës fantastiðkø bûtybiø ir situacijø scenos, uþpildytos smulkiu sidabriniø linijø audiniu. Tokiam slaptam ir atsidavimo reikalaujanèiam darbui jis labai tiko. Dailininkas savo studijoje sukonstravo primityvià giljoðo braiþymo árangà ir pats braiþë ornamentus. Darbas truko nuo 1990 m. rudens iki 1991 m. pavasario, kai atgimstanèioje Lietuvoje siautëjo sovietø kareiviai. Ð. Leonavièiaus baigtus projektus S. Katkus nuneðë á Vyriausybæ, taèiau atsarginio banknoto neprireikë – buvo atspausdinti dailininkø grupës parengti projektai. Ð. Leonavièiaus sukurti darbai neiðliko. Autorius neturi ir eskizø – jam buvo liepta nieko nelaikyti, viskà, kas nereikalinga, sunaikinti. Tik du nedideli pieðinëliai, atsitiktinai uþsimetæ dailininko stalèiuose, pateko á Lietuvos nacionalinio muziejaus rinkinius. Rengdami litø projektus, dailininkai suprojektavo ir laikinuosius pinigus talonus, juos spausdino Kauno „Spindulio“ ir „Raidës“ spaustuvës.

could be confiscated and destroyed, in which case Lithuania would have been deprived of the possibility of producing its own currency. The decision was to create reserve designs and Ðarûnas Leonavièius, a young graphic designer, was asked to draw a banknote according to which banknotes of all denominations could be arranged. The banknotes were to resemble inter-war litas notes. The designer made a banknote with ornaments prevailing. He drew only St Virgin Mary on one side of the banknote and Vytis on the other. On both sides of the banknote he left spaces: one for the watermark, Gediminas Columns and an octagonal heraldic star, the other – for a varying denomination numeral. In addition, the banknotes of each denomination were to differ in colour. The designer worked in absolute secrecy. The only persons to know about his works were the expert in graphic technologies S. Katkus and the top national officials of the time – Vytautas Landsbergis and Gediminas Vagnorius. The designer constructed primitive guilloche drawing equipment in his studio and drew the ornaments himself. The work took from the autumn of 1990 to the spring of 1991, a period when Soviet soldiers raged in the reviving Lithuania. Katkus brought the completed designs by Leonavièius to the Government, yet the reserve banknote was never used, as the designs prepared by the team of artists were printed. Leonavièius’ designs have not survived. Nor has the author preserved any sketches: he was ordered not to keep anything and destroy everything that was unnecessary. Only two small drawings, lost accidentally in the artist’s drawers, remained to enter the collections of the National Museum. While preparing litas designs, the artists also designed the provisional currency, the talonas, notes; these were printed by the Spindulys and Raidë printing houses in Kaunas.

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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3 talonø eskizas. Dail. R. Miknevièius 3 talonø reversas. Dail. R. Miknevièius

Sketch for 3 talonas. Design by R. Miknevièius 3 talonas, back. Design by R. Miknevièius

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5 talonø eskizas. Dail. G. Jonaitis 5 talonø reversas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Sketch for 5 talonas. Design by G. Jonaitis 5 talonas, back. Design by G. Jonaitis

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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Esant sudëtingai ekonominei situacijai ir baiminantis naujai ávestos savarankiðkos valiutos nuvertëjimo, buvo ieðkoma bûdø, kaip atsiriboti nuo devalvuojanèio rublio, stabilizuoti ekonominæ padëtá, ir tik tada, nerizikuojant lito autoritetu, iðleisti já á apyvartà. Siekdama ðio tikslo, 1991 m. rugpjûèio 5 d. Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybë ávedë bendruosius talonus, jie buvo iðmokami kaip priedas kartu su algomis rubliais ir iki 1992 m. geguþës 11 d. funkcionavo kuponø forma ásigyjant prekes. 1992 m. rugsëjo 16 d. Lito komitetas priëmë nutarimà „Dël Lietuvos Respublikos laikinøjø pinigø – talonø ávedimo ir rubliø iðëmimo ið apyvartos“. Ðiuo nutarimu nustatyta, kad nuo 1992 m. spalio 1 d. Lietuvos Respublikoje cirkuliuja tik laikinieji pinigai talonai. Rubliai á talonus buvo keièiami santykiu 1:1. Buvo iðleistos dvi talonø laidos – 1991 m. ir 1992 m. 1991 m. iðleisti visø apyvartai reikalingø nominalø talonai, pradedant deðimtosiomis vieneto dalimis ir baigiant ðimtinëmis. Trijø nominalø deðimtøjø talonø daliø (0,1, 0,2 ir 0,5) – „centø“ – visø aversø kompozicija vienoda: geltonos plokðtumos, uþpildytos banguotomis linijomis, centre – valstybës herbas, o virð jo – tekstas „Lietuvos Respublika“. Reversà dailininkas Kazimieras Paðkauskas papuoðë ðalavijo ðakele, ant jos sukomponuoti dideli nominalo skaièiai. Reversai vienas nuo kito skyrësi ne tik nominalø skaièiais, bet ir jø spalva. Didieji nominalai buvo spausdinami didesnio formato popieriuje su vandenþenkliu – Gediminaièiø stulpais. Jø averse dvispalviu linijiniu ornamentu uþpildytame fone nupieðta kiekvieno nominalo talonui kitokio augalo ðakelë ir didelis nominalo skaièius, o baltame kraðte – valstybës herbas. Reverso centre dominuoja grafinis kokio nors Lietuvos miðkø gyvûno pieðinys ir du nedideli nominalo skaièiai. Talonø kompozicija paprasta ir aiðki. Þmonës prie talonø greitai priprato ir mielai juos priëmë. Profesionaliai sukomponuoti ir nupieðti gyvûnø siluetai laikui bëgant áaugo á þmoniø sàmonæ kaip nominalø simboliai: drieþai, paukðèiai – tai vienetai, kiaunë, lûðis, briedis – deðimtys, o Lietuvos miðkø galiûnas stumbras – ðimtinë. Projektuojant talonus, buvo galvojama ir apie jø apsaugà. Tai jau minëtas popierius su vandenþenkliu, serijos numeris ir giljoðu atspausdintos abi talonø pusës. Tiesa, giljoðas gana primityvus – toks, koká konspiracinëmis sàlygomis buvo galima suprojektuoti. Dailininkas R. Miknevièius prisimena, kaip já kûrë Dailës akademijoje Architektûros katedros darbuotojø padedamas su tuomet, ko gero, vieninteliu visoje Akademijoje kompiuteriu. Talonuose, iðskyrus deðimtàsias jø dalis, buvo spausdinami áspëjantys apie nuobaudas uþ padirbinëjimà tekstai, taèiau tai rezultatø nedavë. Ðios priemonës neapsaugojo talonø nuo padirbinëjimo. Antrà talonø laidà (1992 m.) kûrë kà tik ásteigtos Vertybiniø popieriø leidyklos vyriausiojo dailininko K. Paðkausko suburta ir vadovaujama dailininkø grafikø grupë: R. Lelytë, V. Jurkûnas ir A. Varnaitë. Jø komponavimo schema iðliko tokia pat, kaip ir 1991 m. laidos: averse ant dvispalvio, taèiau sudëtingesnës struktûros giljoðo buvo pieðiama kiekvieno nominalo talonui kitokio augalo ðakelë ir dide-

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Under the complicated economic circumstances and in fear of the depreciation of the newly introduced independent currency, ways were sought for dissociating from the devaluing rouble, stabilising the economic situation and only then putting the litas into circulation without putting its reputation at risk. With this aim in view, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania introduced the general talonas notes on 5 August 1991. These were paid along with rouble wages and salaries and were used as coupons to pay for goods until 11 May 1992. On 16 September 1992, the Litas Committee adopted the decision “On the Introduction of the Provisional Currency of the Republic of Lithuania, the Talonas, and Withdrawal of Roubles from Circulation”. The decision established that only the provisional currency, the talonas, would circulate in the Republic of Lithuania as from 1 October 1992. There were two issues of talonas notes: in 1991 and 1992. In 1991, talonas notes of all denominations necessary for circulation were issued, from tenths of the unit to hundreds. The layout of the front of one-tenth of talonas notes of three denominations (0.1, 0.2 and 0.5), the “cent”, was the same: yellow planes filled with waving lines, the state emblem in the centre, and the inscription “Republic of Lithuania” above it. The artist Kazimieras Paðkauskas decorated their back with a branch of the sage, on which large denomination numerals were arranged. The backs differed not only in denomination numerals but in colour as well. High denominations were printed on larger size paper with the watermark. Their front carried a branch of a plant, different for talonas notes of each denomination, and a big denomination numeral against the background of a two-colour linear ornament, as well as the state emblem on a white edge. The graphic image of some Lithuanian forest animal and two small-sized denomination numerals dominated the centre of the back. In the process of designing talonas notes, their security was also considered, which included the already mentioned watermarked paper, serial number, and both sides of talonas notes printed in guilloche. In fact, the guilloche was quite primitive, such as could be designed under the conditions of secrecy. The artist Miknevièius recalled designing it at the Academy of Fine Arts, assisted by Department of Architecture staff with the aid of probably the only computer available at the Academy at that time. The second issue of talonas notes (in 1992) was designed by a team of graphic artists set up and headed by the chief artist of the recently established Securities Printing House Kazimieras Paðkauskas. The team included Rûta Lelytë, Vilius Jurkûnas and Algë Varnaitë. Their layout scheme remained the same as in the 1991 issue: a branch of a plant on the front, different for the talonas of every denomination, and a large denomination numeral drawn on two-colour guilloche, yet of a more complex structure. They were framed with horizontal texts at the top and bottom, and the year of issue, state emblem and a small denomination numeral were printed on the right side. On the back of the talonas notes Lithuanian forest birds and animals

50 talonø aversas ir reversas. Dail. J. Tolvaiðis

50 talonas, front and back. Design by J. Tolvaiðis

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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25 talonø reversas. Dail. R. Valantinas 100 talonø reversas. Dail. J. Tolvaiðis

25 talonas, back. Design by R. Valantinas 100 talonas, back. Design by J. Tolvaiðis

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1992 m. laidos talonø averso projektas. Dail. K. Paðkauskas

lis nominalo skaièius. Virðuje ir apaèioje jie buvo árëminami horizontaliais tekstais, o deðiniame kraðte – leidimo metai, valstybës herbas ir maþas nominalo skaièius. Talonø reverse, dvispalvio giljoðo lauke – Lietuvos miðkø paukðèiai ir þvërys. Pasak K. Paðkausko, sugalvota ir papokðtauti – E. Vilkeliui pradëjus vadovauti Finansø ministerijai, jo garbei buvo skirta didþiausia 500 talonø kupiûra, papuoðta vilkais. Projektuojant ir spausdinant ðios laidos talonus, jau buvo sukaupta tam tikra patirtis, todël stengtasi iðtaisyti 1991 m. laidos klaidas. Pastebëta, kad Kauno J. Janonio popieriaus fabrike pagamintas popierius yra prastos kokybës, greitai susidëvi, vandenþenklis sunkiai áþiûrimas. Þmonës, pripratæ prie gerokai maþesnio formato rubliø, skundësi, kad talonai netelpa piniginëje, reikia juos lankstyti. 1992 m. talonø laidai Ðvedijoje buvo pagamintas popierius su abstraktaus ornamento vandenþenkliu, o talonø formatas sumaþintas – sulygintas su vieno rublio banknoto, be to, kai kurie elementai atspausdinti nematomais daþais. Planuota iðleisti ir 1 000 talonø kupiûrà. Buvo suprojektuotas tekstø iðdëstymas ir parengtas þvëries – viso pasaulio þvëriø karaliaus liûto – pieðinys, taèiau, nusprendus á apyvartà iðleisti litus, jo neprireikë. Pasak K. Paðkausko, talonai buvo projektuojami ir spausdinami labai sklandþiai ir operatyviai. Per kelias dienas dailininkas parengdavo pieðinius, kompozicijos elementø – tekstø, skaièiø, ornamentø – iðdëstymo maketà ir kalkes. Spaustuvë per parà pagamindavo formas, leidyklos vyriausiasis dailininkas tuoj pat patikrindavo ir pasiraðydavo bandomuosius atspaudus. Èia pat specialiai árengtame uþdarame ceche bûdavo atspausdinamas tiraþas. Visas procesas uþtrukdavo ne ilgiau kaip savaitæ. 1993 m. birþelio 25 d. iðleidus litus á apyvartà, juos pradëta keisti santykiu 1 litas uþ 100 talonø. Á apyvartà buvo iðleistos centø monetos ir 10, 20, 50, 100 litø banknotai. Paprastai bankai laikosi nuostatos, kad didþiausio nominalo ðalies banknotas turi sudaryti pusæ vi-

were printed in a two-colour guilloche field. In the process of designing and printing the talonas notes of this issue, a certain experience had already been accumulated and attempts were made to correct the mistakes made in the 1991 issue. It was noticed that the paper produced in Julius Janonis Paper Mill in Kaunas was of poor quality, it wore out soon, and the watermark was difficult to identify. People, used to roubles of a significantly smaller size, complained that talonas notes were too large to fit into the purse and had to be folded. For the 1992 series talonas notes, paper with the watermark as an abstract ornament was produced in Sweden and the size of the talonas notes was cut to equal that of one rouble note; in addition, some elements were printed in invisible inks. There were also plans to issue a 1000 talonas note. The layout for the texts was designed and a drawing of the world’s king of the beasts, the lion, was prepared. The design, however, was never used after it was decided to issue litas. According to Paðkauskas, the process of designing and printing talonas notes was smooth and effective. The designer would prepare the drawings, the layout of the compositional elements – texts, numerals and ornaments, and transparent films in a few days. The printing house would make the plates in 24 hours; the chief designer of the printing house would immediately check and sign the proofs. Right here, in a specially equipped closed shop, the whole print-run was printed. The whole process would take up to one week. When the litas was issued on 25 June 1993, it was first exchanged into talonas notes at the exchange rate of 1 to 100. Centas coins and banknotes of 10, 20, 50 and 100 litas denominations were put into circulation. It is customary for banks to stick to a provision that the note of the highest denomination in the country should stand for a half of average earnings; thus there was no need to put into circulation the 500 litas denomination banknotes that had already been printed, not to mention 1000 litas denomination banknotes.

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Design of the 1992 series talonas notes by K. Paðkauskas, front

1 talono reversas. Dail. R. Lelytë 10 talonø reversas. Dail. R. Lelytë

dutinio atlyginimo, taigi tuo metu nebuvo bûtina leisti á apyvartà jau atspausdintus 500, tuo labiau – 1 000 litø banknotus. Þiniasklaida daug raðë apie lietuviðkus pinigus. Suskaièiuota, kiek þemaièiø, suvalkieèiø ir aukðtaièiø atvaizduota lietuviðkuose piniguose. Paaiðkëjo, kad daugiausia yra þemaièiø – net ðeði, trys suvalkieèiai, vienas – ið Maþosios Lietuvos ir në vieno aukðtaièio. Dar labiau neiðlaikyta proporcija tarp vyrø ir moterø – tik raðytoja Þemaitë nusipelnë garbës.

1 talonas, back. Design by R. Lelytë 10 talonas, back. Design by R. Lelytë

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Lithuanian currency was the subject covered extensively in the media. Calculations were made of how many Samogitians (northwestern Lithuanians), Suvalkians (southern Lithuanians) and Aukðtaitians (eastern Lithuanians) decorated Lithuanian money. It turned out that the majority were Samogitians – as many as six; three were Suvalkians, one from Lithuania Minor and not a single one was an Aukðtaitian. Males and females were even more out of proportion: only one woman, the writer Þemaitë, had been honoured.

50 talonø aversas. Dail. A. Varnaitë 200 talonø projekto eskizas. Dail. V. Jurkûnas

50 talonas, front. Design by A. Varnaitë Sketch for the design of the 200 talonas by V. Jurkûnas

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200 talonø aversas ir reversas. Dail. V. Jurkûnas 500 talonø reversas. Dail. V. Jurkûnas

200 talonas, front and back. Design by V. Jurkûnas 500 talonas, back. Design by V. Jurkûnas

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Banknotai ir jø komponavimo specifika

500 talonø aversas. Dail. V. Jurkûnas 500 talonø projekto eskizas. Dail. V. Jurkûnas

500 talonas, front. Design by V. Jurkûnas Sketch for the design of the 500 talonas by V. Jurkûnas

Banknotes and Peculiarities of Their Composition

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Vieno lito banknotas One Litas Banknote

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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Banknoto, kaip meno kûrinio, projektavimas prasideda dailininko mintyse. Vaizduojamosios dailës kûrinys – grafikos lakðtas ar tapybos drobë – yra tik paties autoriaus paþiûrø ir skonio iðraiðka, o banknotas kuriamas didelio bûrio specialistø milijonams þmoniø. Bankas, turintis emisijos teisæ, nurodo tik pagrindines gaires. Kartu su konsultantais nutariama, kas bus vaizduojama vienoje ar kitoje banknoto pusëje, kokios bus spalvos, ðriftai ir jø iðdëstymas. Apsaugos priemonës – vandenþenkliai, apsauginiai siûleliai, grafiniai ir giljoðo ornamentai bei daugybë kitø ádiegiama jau gamintojø, taèiau pagal ið anksto þinomus banko specialistø reikalavimus. Be apsaugos priemoniø banknotas bûtø tik spalvotas paveikslëlis. Banknotø projektavimo grupë sukûrë banknotø komponavimo schemà. Averso deðinë pusë buvo skirta portretui, dideliam nominalo skaièiui, o kairë – vandenþenkliui. Reverso kairëje – didelë siuþetinë kompozicija, idëjiðkai susieta su averso asmenybe, o deðiniame kompozicijos kraðte – vieta vandenþenkliui. Abi banknoto puses stilistiðkai turëjo vienyti horizontalios ornamento juostos, paveldëtos ið tarpukario Lietuvos banknotø – jø kompozicija ið visø pusiø buvo árëminta ámantriu ornamentu, o kai kuriuose banknotuose dar ir sutvirtinta puoðniomis rozetëmis su nominalo skaièiais viduryje. Toks banknotas, nuo kraðto iki kraðto uþpildytas smulkiu ornamentu, darë sunkios, sudëtingos struktûros áspûdá. Naujojo lito kompozicijoje ornamento juostos neuþgoþia plokðtumos, palikta daugiau erdvës nominalo skaièiui ir tekstams, iðryðkinti svarbiausi banknoto komponentai. Ið pradþiø 1 lito banknotà ëmësi projektuoti grupës vadovas R. Miknevièius. Averse vaizduojamas valstietis ðiaudine skrybële, grojantis medine dûdele. Apatinëje banknoto dalyje iðraiðkingai susipynæ apynio lapai ir spurgai dar labiau pabrëþia linksmà kompozicijos nuotaikà. Deðinëje – didelis nominalo skaièius ir jo vertë þodþiais. Saulëtos geltonos ir ðiltø þalios bei ochros spalvø banknotas atrodë labai nuotaikingai. Vykusiai sukomponuotas ir reversas, jo centre – liaudies meistro iðdroþta ðv. Jurgio skulptûrëlë, o deðiniame kraðte – rozeèiø vainikas, supantis tekstà „Vienas litas“. Dailininko pieðinys – tik bûsimo banknoto projektas. Ðis pieðinys, perëjæs per pinigø gamybos specialistø rankas, ágavæs sudëtingø linijø ir ornamentø iðraiðkà, bûtø tapæs ðiuolaikiniu lietuviðku pinigu, taèiau, nukalus maþøjø nominalø monetas, nebuvo reikalo skubëti su ðiø nominalø banknotø gamyba, ir jø projektavimas buvo atidëtas. Vëliau ðio darbo ëmësi dailininkas Giedrius Jonaitis. Gaila, kad R. Miknevièiaus 1 lito ir L. Pociaus 2 litø kompozicijos liko neágyvendintos. Kita vertus, kai vienas autorius projektuoja visà banknotø serijà, pasiekiama stiliaus vienovë, be to, ir dirbti lengviau – nereikia vienam prie kito taikytis. G. Jonaièiui buvo pasiûlyta 1 lito banknote áamþinti þymià raðytojà ir visuomenës veikëjà Þemaitæ (tikroji pavardë Julija Þymantienë, 1845–1921 m.). Reikðmingiausi jos apsakymai „Marti“, „Petras Kurmelis“, „Topylis“ ir kt. iki ðiol populiarûs, inscenizuojami, iðversti á

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The design of a banknote, like any piece of art, is first contemplated in the artist’s mind. The bank of issue only gives the general guidelines. Decisions on the themes depicted on the front and back of a note, colours, lettering and layout are taken following the advice of consultants. Security features, such as watermarks, security threads, graphic and guilloche patterns and many others are incorporated later, following the requirements put forward by the bank’s experts in advance. Both front and back of this note was to be stylistically unified through the use of horizontal ornamental bands, transferred from the interwar Lithuanian banknotes, the composition of which was usually surrounded by a frame of intricate ornament, sometimes supplemented with impressive rosettes containing denomination numerals. Such a note, whose space was entirely filled with tiny ornaments from edge to edge, made an impression of a rigid and complex structure. In the composition of the new litas banknotes ornamental bands did not overshadow the plane and left more space for the denomination numeral and texts to reveal the most important components of the note. At the beginning, Miknevièius, the leader of the team, undertook the design of the 1 litas banknote. On the front he presented the image of a peasant wearing a straw hat playing a wooden pipe. The intertwined leaves and cones of the hop at the bottom edge of the note made the mood of the whole composition even livelier. A large denomination numeral and its value in words were located on the right side. The banknote of sunny yellow, warm green and ochre colours made a cheerful impression. The back of the note was also well arranged with a wooden sculpture of St George, carved by a folk craftsman, in the centre and a wreath of rosettes enclosing the text “Vienas litas” (one litas) on the right. The drawing of an artist is just a draft of a would-be banknote. Upon passing through the hands of banknote production experts and after acquiring the form of complex lines and ornaments, such a drawing would have turned into a contemporary Lithuanian banknote. However, after the litas coins of low denominations were made, there was no need to go ahead with the printing of the low denomination banknotes and, consequently, their design was postponed. Later, the task of designing this note was taken up by the artist Giedrius Jonaitis. It is a pity that the compositions of 1 litas note by Miknevièius and 2 litas note by Pocius remained unrealised. On the other hand, a homogenous style is better achieved if a series of banknotes is designed by one author, which makes it easier to complete the work, as one artist does not have to adjust to another one. Jonaitis was suggested to commemorate a prominent Lithuanian writer and public figure Julija Þemaitë (real name Julija Þymantienë, 1845–1921). The portrait of Þemaitë – a simple country woman with a white lace-decorated kerchief around her head – was familiar to every Lithuanian from primary school. The portrait of the writer dominated on the front of the banknote. Jonaitis drew the portrait of Julija Þemaitë after her famous photo

Banknoto projekto eskizas. Dail. R. Miknevièius Banknoto portreto eskizas. Dail. R. Miknevièius

Sketch for the banknote’s design by R. Miknevièius Sketch for the portrait on the banknote. Design by R. Miknevièius

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Banknoto eskizas. Dail. R. Miknevièius Banknoto portreto eskizas. Dail. R. Miknevièius

Sketch for the banknote. Design by R. Miknevièius Sketch for the portrait on the banknote. Design by R. Miknevièius

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Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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Banknoto eskizas. Dail. R. Miknevièius

Sketch for the banknote. Design by R. Miknevièius

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Banknoto projektas. Dail. R. Miknevièius

The banknote’s design by R. Miknevièius

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2 litø banknoto su Þemaitës portretu eskizas. Dail. G. Jonaitis Banknoto projekto eskizas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Sketch of the portrait of Þemaitë on the 2 litas banknote. Design by G. Jonaitis Sketch for the banknote’s design by G. Jonaitis

daugelio kaimyniniø ðaliø kalbas. Þemaitës portretas – kaimo moterëlë, apsigobusi balta mezginiuota skarele – gerai þinomas kiekvienam lietuviui nuo pradþios mokyklos laikø. Banknoto averso dominantë – raðytojos portretas. G. Jonaitis perpieðë Þemaitës portretà ið gerai þinomos XX a. pradþios fotografijos, paryðkino iðblukusias detales, veido reljefà. Gyvenimo iðvargintos moters dëmesingas þvilgsnis, suspaustos, ðiek tiek asimetriðkos lûpos rodo sunkø raðytojos gyvenimà, kaimietiðka apranga ir skarelë – jos artumà kaimo þmonëms. Pinigø spaustuvës graveris meistriðkai iðgraviravo pieðiná, puikiai perteikë ornamentuotos skarelës mezginius, veido raukðleliø niuansus. Tai turbût vienas ið geriausiai pavykusiø mûsø banknotø portretø. Ðiek tiek abejotinas reverso motyvas. Aukðtaitijos rytinio pakraðèio Palûðës baþnytëlë ir varpinë neturi nieko bendra su raðytoja, jos þemaitiðko kolorito apsakymais, kuriuose nuskamba net ateistinës gaidelës. Kaip rodo iðlikæ eskizai, ið pradþiø reversà galvota papuoðti ðv. Jurgio skulptûrële. Motyvas, greièiausiai paveldëtas ið R. Miknevièiaus kompozicijos, bûtø geriau tikæs Þemaitei, kovojusiai su kaimo tamsumu ir blogiu. Be to, ðv. Jurgio skulptûrëlës buvo labai mëgstamos Þemaitijoje ir puoðdavo daþno sodþiaus kryþkelæ ar darþelá. Paprastai pinigø ornamentai projektuojami sudëtinga áranga. Mûsø dailininkai tokiø galimybiø neturëjo, taèiau jø sumanyti ir nupieðti ornamentai neblogai tiko banknotams. Maþiausio nominalo banknoto horizontalios juostos, nupieðtos pagal lietuviø liaudies meno motyvus, sujungia visus komponentus á bendrà visumà, jø neuþgoþia ir nesuteikia kompozicijai margumo. Kiek prastesnis, disonuojantis su subtiliu portreto pieðiniu ir uþgoþiantis nominalo skaièius yra plokðtumø giljoðas. Sumanymas ornamentuotà plokðtumà uþbaigti aðtriu siluetu netiko subtiliam portreto pieðiniui, silueto formos pretenzingos, nors, atrodo, buvo sumanytos taip pat vadovaujantis liaudies meno pavyzdþiais. Jos iðëjo nieko nesakanèios ir neádomios. Tai pasaky-

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made at the beginning of the 20th century. The designer brightened the faded details and the relief of the face. An attentive look and slightly asymmetric, tightly pressed lips hint at the writer’s hard life, while her country clothes and kerchief show how close she was to simple country folk. The drawing was masterfully cut by the engraver of the banknote printing company: the laces of the ornamented kerchief and nuances of facial wrinkles were brought to perfection. It was probably one of the most successful portraits featured on Lithuanian banknotes. The motif of the back of the note was somewhat disputable. The small church and belfry in Palûðë, a place in the eastern part of Aukðtaitija, was in no way related to the writer and her stories filled with Samogitian traits and, sometimes, containing even an atheistic colouring. As the remaining sketches showed, it was first intended to decorate the back of the note with the statue of St George. The motif was probably inherited from the composition by Miknevièius and it fitted well the portrait of Þemaitë who fought evil and backwardness in the country. Besides, the sculptures of St George were very popular in Samogitia, where countryside crossroads and flower gardens were often adorned with the statuettes of St George. The horizontal bands used on the banknote of the lowest denomination and drawn following Lithuanian folk art motifs join all the components into a whole; they do not overshadow the individual components and do not make the composition too colourful. The guilloche patterns of the planes are somewhat less successful and are in dissonance with the subtle drawing of the portrait, and overshadow the denomination numerals. The idea of finishing the ornamented plane with a sharp outline does not match the subtle drawing of the portrait. The forms of the outline, though seemingly designed in line with folk art patterns, are pretentious, uninteresting and convey no idea. The same could be said about the trite bent form separating the ornamented part of the note from the clear watermark space and two

Þemaitës portretas. Fotografija

Portrait of Þemaitë, photograph

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Þemaitës portreto graviûra

Engraving of the portrait of Þemaitë

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Palûðës baþnyèia ir varpinë. Fotogr. M. Sakalauskas

tina ir apie banaliai iðlankstytà formà, atskirianèià ornamentuotà banknoto dalá nuo ðvarios vandenþenkliui skirtos erdvës, ir apie du nuo portreto á deðinæ atsiðakojanèius smailius þiedlapius. Jie savo grieþtu siluetu goþia portretà, o svarbiausia, trukdo pagrindiniam nominalo skaièiui. Portreto kairëje ornamento tinklelis ryðkus, taèiau deðinëje nuobodi tinklelio struktûra sudaro murzinos plokðtumos áspûdá. Dël to greièiausiai kaltas ir autoriaus nepatyrimas – per trumpà laikà spaustuvëje jis turëjo sukurti banknoto ornamentus. Neblogai iðdëstyti ir kiti banknoto komponentai – skaièiai, tekstai. Abejoniø kelia tik ðiek tiek per kietai á horizontalias juostas ásiremiantis vertikalus serijos numeris. Tikslaus sutapimo þenklas logiðkai iðplaukia ið ornamento juostø. Reverso kompozicijos centrinë figûra – Palûðës baþnyèios ir varpinës ansamblis, uþimantis vos ne pusæ banknoto. XVIII a. vidurio liaudies architektûros medinë baþnyèia ir varpinë kontrastingai apðviestos, sienø tamsiø ir ðviesiø dëmiø ritmà trikdo tik pirmame plane á ðventoriø vedantys varteliai. Autorius sakosi mëginæs ansamblá fotografuoti ir pieðti ið natûros, bet pagaliau pasirinkæs þinomo architektûros palikimo fotografo M. Sakalausko nuotraukà. Graveris iðradingai ir profesionaliai perteikë lentø, gontø faktûrà, apðvietimà. Vaizdas nenuobodus, nors ir trûksta reljefiðkumo – apðviestosios ansamblio sienos galëjo labiau kontrastuoti su ðeðëlinëmis. Kontrastà labiau paryðkinti galëjo pieðinio spausdinimas ne plytine, o tamsesne ruda spalva, panaðia á averso portreto spalvà – ji labiau atitiktø ir medinio pastato charakterá. Daug blogiau iðgraviruoti medþiai ansamblio kairëje pusëje. Jie yra gana toli, uþ baþnyèios, taèiau lapija smulki, monotoniðka ir plokðèia. Grafiðkai ji neturi jokio stilistinio ryðio su pirmo plano pieðiniu ir atrodo visiðkai svetima nuotaikos poþiûriu – þiemos ðerkðnas netinka prie vasariðko pastato apðvietimo. Medþiø, virðutinës juostos ir fono tonai nesubalansuoti. Neþiûrint á tai, kad kiekvienas komponentas skiriasi grafinio audinio charakteriu, visi jie yra vienodo toni-

sharp forms in the shape of leaves branching off to the right of the portrait. Their rigid outline suppresses the portrait; moreover, they interfere with the main denomination numeral. The other components of the design, numerals and texts, are also well arranged. Some doubts may arise regarding the vertical serial number too firmly squeezed between the horizontal bands. The seethrough feature logically emerges from the ornamental bands. The central accent of the composition on the back of the banknote is the ensemble of the church and belfry in Palûðë. The church and belfry, masterpieces of the mid-18th century wooden architecture, are represented in contrasting light; the rhythm of dark and light stains is only broken by the gates to the churchyard. As the author himself put it, he tried to make photos of the ensemble and to draw it from nature himself, but finally he decided on the photo by Meèislovas Sakalauskas, famous for his photos of the Lithuanian architectural heritage. The engraver was very inventive and skilful in conveying the lighting as well as the texture of wooden planks and shingles. The image is not dull, though it lacks some feeling of relief: the lit walls of the ensemble could be in greater contrast with the shadowed ones. More contrast could be achieved by printing the drawing in dark brown, similar to the one used for the portrait on the front, instead of brick red. It would also match better the nature of the wooden building itself. The engraving of the trees to the left of the ensemble is less successful. They are at some distance behind the church, yet the leaves of the trees are rather tiny, monotonous and seem flat. They are not graphically related from the stylistic point of view to the foreground of the drawing and seem quite strange in terms of the mood: winter frost does not correspond with the summer lighting of the building. The tonal colouring of the trees, the band at the top and the background are not balanced enough. Leaving aside the fact that each component of the composition differs in the character of the graphic

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Palûðë church and belfry. Photo by M. Sakalauskas

Banknoto fragmentas – Palûðës baþnyèios ir varpinës graviûra Banknoto fragmentas – giljoðas

Banknote detail – engraving of Palûðë Church and Belfry Banknote detail – guilloche

nio intensyvumo ir ið pirmo þvilgsnio susilieja á neaiðkaus pieðinio plokðtumà. Banknoto spalvinë gama – malonus akiai ðiltø rudø spalvø derinys, nors reverse vyraujanti plytinë ir smaragdinë spalvos yra per daug kontrastingos, kad sudarytø harmoningà sàskambá. Nevisiðkai sëkmingai parinkta ir Lietuvos Respublikos herbo skydo vieta. Jis ákomponuotas aritmetiniame plokðtumos centre, dël to atrodo nusileidæs þemyn. Averse graþiai tarpusavyje dera tamsiai ruda portreto graviûra, juodi tekstai ir horizontalios juostos prigesintos oranþinës spalvos fone. 1994 m. laidos 1 lito banknotà atspausdino Thomas De La Rue spaustuvë Anglijoje.

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texture, they are all of the same tonal intensity and at first glance merge into a blurred drawing. The range of colours is a combination of appealing warm browns, however the prevailing brick red and emerald colours on the back of the note are too much in contrast to be in harmony. The positioning of the shield with the coat of arms of the Republic of Lithuania is not very successful either. It is incorporated into the arithmetical centre of the plane and, therefore, seems to be placed lower. On the front, the deep brown engraving of the portrait, dark texts and horizontal bands perfectly match the subdued orange background. The 1 litas banknote of 1994 issue was printed at the Thomas De La Rue printing company in Britain.

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Dviejø litø banknotas Two Litas Banknote

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Kaip jau minëta, 2 litø banknotà ið pradþiø buvo patikëta projektuoti L. Pociui. Jo eskizø stilius labai artimas tarpukario Lietuvos banknotø stilistikai – daugialypë, sudëtinga, su gotikos elementais ornamentø struktûra, ámantrûs, stilizuoti skaièiai ir herbø skydai. Tai ypaè akivaizdu 2 litø banknote su Vytautu Didþiuoju ir Trakø pilimi. Aiðku, tokia stilistika netiko ðiuolaikiniams pinigams, ir autoriui banknotus teko kurti pagal bendromis grupës jëgomis suprojektuotà schemà. Jo parengtuose vëlesniuose eskizuose (mergina tautiniais rûbais averse ir Trakø pilis reverse) jau aiðkiai jauèiamos tos paèios nuostatos, kaip ir kitø autoriø kuriamuose maþøjø nominalø banknotuose. Jei portretas bûtø deðinëje pusëje, o horizontalûs ornamentai ryðkesni, aversas visiðkai atitiktø nustatytà schemà. Nedaug reikëtø taisyti ir reversà, o jame vaizduojama pilis labai monumentali ir áspûdinga. Vël nutarus leisti á apyvartà maþøjø nominalø banknotus, juos kûrë G. Jonaitis. Nuspræsta 2 litø banknote vaizduoti vyskupà Motiejø Valanèiø (1801–1875 m.) – þymø lietuviø raðytojà. Jis rûpinosi liaudies ðvietimu, steigë parapines mokyklas, reikalavo, kad jose bûtø mokoma lietuviðkai, kovojo su girtavimu. Savo knygose, skirtose paprastiems kaimieèiams, vyskupas smerkë girtavimà, tamsumà, skatino ðviestis, stiprinti katalikybæ. Jo knygelës „Palangos Juzë“ herojus – per kaimus keliaujantis ðmaikðtus siuvëjas Juzë – populiarus ir ðiandien. M. Valanèiaus portretà reverse palydëti Trakø pilimi nebuvo tinkamas komisijos sprendimas. Greièiausiai tai automatiðkai paveldëta ið anksèiau L. Pociaus komponuoto 2 litø banknoto. Tiesa, vyskupo knygelëse kalbama apie lietuviø kovas su kryþiuoèiais, bet tai nebuvo pagrindinë jo apsakymø tema. Jis daugiau dëmesio skyrë liaudies paproèiams, tautosakai ir buièiai. G. Jonaitis viename ið pirmø banknoto eskizø reverse vaizduoja þemaitiðkà koplytëlæ. Sudëtingos architektûros, ið keturiø daliø susidedantis kaimo skulptoriaus kûrinys ne tik idëjiðkai labiau artimas baþnyèios tematikai, bet bûtø ir liaudies meno populiarinimo priemonë. Be to, graþios architektonikos, stogeliø, kolonëliø, ornamentø, ðviesos ir ðeðëliø þaismo turtingas objektas bûtø gerai tikæs sudëtingam pieðiniui, kuris bûtinas banknotui. Labai ádomiai atrodë ir kitas autoriaus pasiûlymas reverse ákomponuoti garsaus kryþiø meistro Vinco Svirskio reljefà „Ðv. Izidorius – artojas“. Iðlikusiame eskize jis, áspraustas tarp horizontaliø ornamento juostø, yra per daug maþas, kad uþpildytø reverso staèiakampá. Reljefà padidinus, galëjo iðeiti graþi kompozicija, prasmingai pratæsianti M. Valanèiaus – katalikiðkø liaudies tradicijø puoselëtojo, paprastø þmoniø globëjo – temà. Pagrindinis reverso komponentas – Trakø pilis – prasmingas architektûros paminklas, tinkantis banknotui. Pilis – populiarus turizmo objektas, gausiai lankomas net tik lietuviø, bet ir uþsienieèiø, daug ansamblio fotografijø yra albumuose apie Lietuvà. G. Jonaitis pasirinko ádomø þiûrëjimo taðkà, leidþiantá parodyti sudëtingà ansamblio planà, jo bokðtø, gynybiniø sienø iðdëstymà. Kontrastingas apðvietimas akcentuoja ritmiðkà ðviesiø ir tamsiø dëmiø þaismà. Kitaip negu 1 lito banknote, tamsûs medþiø guotai iðryðkina monumentalias pa-

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As has been mentioned above, the design of the 2 litas banknote was first entrusted to Liudvikas Pocius. The style of his sketches was very close to that of the interwar Lithuanian banknotes: manifold complex structure of ornaments containing gothic elements, intricate, stylised denomination numerals and coat-of-arms shields. The 2 litas banknote with the portrait of Vytautas the Great and the Trakai Castle served as a good illustration to support this statement. This style, of course, was not suitable for modern currency and the author had to redesign the banknote under the scheme worked out by the joint efforts of the team. Later sketches of Pocius (a young girl dressed in the national costume on the front and Trakai Castle on the back of the note) clearly revealed the same vision as that of other authors designing the banknotes of low denominations. If the portrait were placed on the right-hand side, and the horizontal ornaments were made brighter, the front of his note would be in full conformity with the set scheme. Only the back of the note should be slightly improved, as the castle represented on the back was very monumental and impressive. Later, when the decision regarding the issue of low denomination banknotes into circulation was revised, their designs were created by Jonaitis. It was decided that Bishop Motiejus Valanèius (1801–1875), a famous Lithuanian writer, should be featured on the 2 litas note. The decision of the Commission that the portrait of Valanèius should be supplemented with the image of Trakai Castle on the back of the note was not quite adequate. It was probably automatically inherited from the 2 litas banknote previously designed by Pocius. In fact, the Bishop did describe the fights of the Lithuanians against the Crusaders in his books, however the theme did not prevail in his stories. He mainly focused on the traditions, folklore and mode of life of the people. One of the first 2 litas note sketches drawn by Jonaitis bore a Samogitian chapel on the back. The architecturally complex construction of four components created by a country sculptor would have been much closer to the church motif from point of view of the topic but would also have served as a means to popularise folk art. In addition, an object rich in its architectonic play of tiny roofs, pillars, ornaments, lights and shadows would have been much more suitable for a complex drawing – a must for a banknote. The other proposal of the author that the relief “St Isidore the Ploughman” carved by a prominent master of cross-making Vincas Svirskis should be incorporated on the back was also very interesting. In a remaining sketch the image of the relief was placed between the horizontal ornamental bands and was too small to completely fill the rectangular space of the back. If enlarged, the relief could have resulted in a nice composition, meaningfully extending the theme of Valanèius, a fosterer of Catholic national traditions and guardian of the simple people. The key component of the back of the note, Trakai Castle, is an expressive architectural monument suitable for a banknote. The castle is a very popular object of tourism, often visited both by Lithuanians and foreigners, and its photos are printed in many albums on Lithuania.

Banknoto projektas. Dail. L. Pocius

The banknote’s design by L. Pocius

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Vytautas Didysis. Dail. L. Pociaus pieðinys

Vytautas the Great. Drawing by L. Pocius

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„Birutë“. Dail. L. Pociaus pieðinys

“Birutë”. Drawing by L. Pocius

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Trakø salos pilis. Dail. L. Pociaus pieðinys

Trakai Island Castle. Drawing by L. Pocius

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Banknoto projektas. Dail. L. Pocius Dail. L. Pocius pieðia iðdidintà banknoto projektà

The banknote’s design by L. Pocius Designer L. Pocius drawing the banknote’s enlarged design

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Banknoto projekto eskizai. Dail. G. Jonaitis

statø formas. Gaila, kad tik poroje vietø parodyti kranto fragmentai nesukuria salos áspûdþio, o tai vaizdui galëjo suteikti dar daugiau jaukumo. Taèiau èia pieðiamas ne atvirukas, o banknotas, ir ne tiek svarbu parodyti pilá su visa jos egzotika, kiek sukomponuoti estetiðkà ðiuolaikiná pinigà. Kaip ir 1 lito banknote, per daug þemai ákomponuotas valstybës herbas, be to, aktyvûs ornamentai trukdo ramesniam herbo pieðiniui. Horizontalios gotikinio charakterio ornamento juostos per daug ðvelnios ir subtilios, kad árëmintø aktyvià banknoto plokðtumà. Nominalo skaièius kairëje apaèioje vos matomas. Reverse aiðkiai matomas tik tamsus nominalo skaièius deðinëje virðuje. Jis subalansuoja kompozicijà. Ðio banknoto averso kompozicijos schema tokia pat kaip ir 1 lito. Stambaus plano portretas iðkyla ið apatinës ornamento juostos ir virðugalviu ið dalies dengia virðutinæ. Skvarbus vyskupo þvilgsnis, puikiai sumodeliuotas veidas – G. Jonaièio nuopelnas. XIX a. profesionalo fotografijoje, kuria naudojosi dailininkas, apðviestoji veido pusë plokðèia, ir tik gero pieðëjo ágûdþiai veidui suteikë gyvumo ir reljefiðkumo. Neakcentuodamas smulkiø raukðleliø, iðryðkindamas tik svarbiausias veido individualumà pabrëþianèias formas, dailininkas pasiekë monumentalumo ir sodrumo. Þemaitës portretas pavykæs kur kas geriau negu M. Valanèiaus. Èia, nors ir iðlaikydamas aukðtà profesiná lygá, graveris neiðvengë kai kuriø klaidø. Neátikinamai kieta plaukø sruoga deðinëje, o vyskupo pelerina abiejose kabanèios grandinëlës pusëse atrodo taip, lyg bûtø ið kitokio audinio. Be to, ji sumargina ir taip jau aktyvià ir ðviesià, dëmesá nuo veido atitraukianèià drabuþiø grafikà. Grandinëlë neplastiðka – lyg kabëtø ne ant þmogaus kaklo, o ant lygaus stalo. Visai averso kompozicijai trûksta kontrastingumo – tik maþieji tamsûs nominalo skaièiai kairëje pagilina toniná sprendimà. Vyskupo veidui kontrasto uþtenka, taèiau jo drabuþis, galëjæs portretui suteikti svorio, praskydæs ir susiliejæs su ornamentuota fono plokðtuma. Didelis nominalo skai-

Jonaitis chose an interesting point of view of the castle, enabling him to show the complex view of the castle ensemble and the layout of its towers and defence walls. Contrasting lighting accentuates the rhythmic play of light and dark spots. Contrary to the 1 litas note, the dark clusters of trees serve to outline the monumental forms of the buildings. It is a pity that the small fragments of the coastline do not create the impression of an island while this would have added much more cosiness to the scene. Yet the drawing was meant for a banknote, not a postcard, and it was not so important to show the castle and its whole exotica but to compose a modern aesthetic note. The front layout of the 2 litas banknote is the same as of the 1 litas note. The close-up portrait emerges out of the bottom ornamental band and the top band is partly covered by the vertex of Valanèius. The piercing look and perfectly modelled face of the Bishop is the achievement of Jonaitis. The lit-up side of the face in the professional 19th century photo used by the designer is flat, and only the skill of the talented painter added vitality and relief to the face. Without accentuating tiny wrinkles and outlining only the key individual forms of the face the artist achieved an impression of monumentality and richness. The engraved portrait of Þemaitë is much better than that of Valanèius. The engraver did not manage to avoid some mistakes, notwithstanding the fact that, in general, the engraving is performed very professionally. He used enough contrast in the Bishop’s face, however his robe, which might have added some weight to the portrait, seems to be thinned and merges with the ornamented pattern of the background. The big denomination numeral which is an important component of the note becomes indistinct against the background and, in fact, invisible under poor light. The colour scheme of the banknote is cold green, which becomes livelier on the back due to the introduction of dark green hues. The

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Sketches for the banknote’s design by G. Jonaitis

Banknoto fragmentas – Trakø salos pilies graviûra

Detail from the banknote: engraving of Trakai Island Castle

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Trakø salos pilis. Fotogr. J. Polis

Trakai Island Castle. Photo by J. Polis

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M. Valanèius. Fotografija M. Valanèius. Dail. G. Jonaièio pieðinys

M. Valanèius, photograph M. Valanèius. Drawing by G. Jonaitis

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M. Valanèiaus portreto graviûra

Engraving of the portrait of M. Valanèius

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Dailininkas G. Jonaitis

èius – svarbus banknoto komponentas – paskæsta fone ir, esant prastesniam apðvietimui, praktiðkai nematomas. Spalvinë banknoto gama – ðalta þalia, jà reverse ðiek tiek pagyvina tamsiai þali tonai. Dailininko eskizuose galima pamatyti ir subtilesniø spalviniø sprendimø, gaila, kad ðilta, intensyvi, vadinamoji Veronezës, þalia spalva buvo pakeista ðalta, ðviesia smaragdine. Reverse áspûdá pataiso medþius suðildanti geltona spalva, taèiau dideliø smaragdiniø plokðtumø santykis su ochros spalva nesudaro malonaus akiai kolorito. Banknoto apsaugos priemonës áprastos – tai vandenþenklis Vytis, apsauginis siûlelis, mikrotekstai, liuminescuojantys skaièiai ir tikslaus sutapimo þenklas. Banknotø popieriaus pavirðiuje iðsimëtæ spalvoti plauðeliai, matomi plika akimi, ultravioletiniuose spinduliuose liuminescuoja þalia ir raudona spalvomis. 1993 m. laidos banknotà atspausdino Thomas De La Rue spaustuvë.

sketches of the artist display also subtler colour solutions and it is only a pity that the warmer and more intensive green colour, also called Veronese, was replaced by the cold and lightened emerald green. On the back of the note the impression is improved by the yellow colour, which makes the trees livelier, although the proportion of the large emerald green planes to the colour of ochre does not produce an appealing colouration. The security features of the banknote are traditional: the watermark Vytis, a security thread, microtexts, luminescent numerals and a see-through feature. The banknote paper contains embedded colour fibres that are visible to the naked eye and fluoresce under ultraviolet light in green and red. The 2 litas banknote of 1993 issue was printed at the Thomas de La Rue printing company.

Designer G. Jonaitis

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Penkiø litø banknotas Five Litas Banknote

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Kaip rodo eskizai, ið pradþiø 5 litø banknoto tema buvo S. Dariaus ir S. Girëno þygdarbis. Vëliau buvo nutarta lakûnus vaizduoti 10 litø banknote, o 5 litø banknote – J. Jablonská. Jonas Jablonskis (1860–1930 m.) daug nusipelnë normindamas lietuviø kalbà. Jis gerai mokëjo suvalkieèiø tarmæ, kurios pagrindu XIX a. pabaigoje formavosi bendrinë lietuviø kalba. Mokslininkas, siekdamas jà patobulinti, pritaikyti modernios visuomenës reikmëms, raðë straipsnius kalbos kultûros klausimais, parengë ir iðleido ne vienà vadovëlá. Jis taisë ávairiø laikraðèiø ir leidiniø kalbà, rûpinosi terminija, valë ið jos per amþius susikaupusius barbarizmus. Komisijai rekomendavus ðiame banknote áamþinti J. Jablonská, dailininkas medþiagos ieðkojo savarankiðkai. Jis kreipësi á þinomà kalbininkà, monografijos apie J. Jablonská autoriø, A. Piroèkinà. Jo padedamas ið gana gausios ikonografinës medþiagos atrinko portretà, parodantá mokslininko charakterá bei veiklà, ir kartu gerai paþástamà visø visuomenës sluoksniø þmonëms. J. Jablonskio portretas net tarybiniais metais kabojo lietuviø kalbos kabinetuose, jo vardas buvo minimas pamokose. Dailininko pasirinktame portrete mokslininkas jau senas, apsirengæs kambariniu ðvarku, ant galvos – XIX a. mokslininkø mëgstama apvali kepuraitë. Ðià iðraiðkingà fotografijà dailininkas ir áteikë graveriui. Portretai 1 ir 2 litø banknotuose buvo iðgraviruoti meistriðkai. Ðvelniø perëjimø toniná pieðiná perkeldamas á daug grieþtesniø linijø struktûriná vaizdà, spaustuvës graveris në kiek nepaþeidë portretuojamo þmogaus individualybës, jo nuotaikos, graþiai perteikë aprangos detales ir jø plastikà, þodþiu, sukûrë tikrà grafikos meno kûriná. J. Jablonskio portreto graviûros linijos kietos, monotoniðkos, jis labai skiriasi nuo Þemaitës ir M. Valanèiaus portretø. Þymøjá kalbininkà atpaþástame – tam labai padeda minëtos aprangos detalës, apvali kepuraitë, taèiau portretas kelia ir abejoniø. Veido ir barzdos kietø linijø grafikà keièia dar kietesnës, tarsi skriestuvu iðvestos drabuþiø linijos ir formos. Aprangos raukðliø kontrastingumas uþgoþia veidà, taèiau tamsios kepuraitës silueto lankas graþiai iðryðkina kaktos iðkilumà. Tamsesnio tono ðvarkas bûtø labiau tikæs portretui. Bendradarbiaujant su spaustuve, dailininkui gerai pavyko parinkti ir sukomponuoti horizontaliø juostø ornamentus. Jie sudëtingo, banknotui bûdingo, taèiau neákyraus pieðinio. Portreto fonà dengianti struktûra yra dalis didelio apskritimo, kurio centras – mokslininko veido ovalo viduryje. Portreto kairëje pusëje apskritimas yra ramaus giljoðinio, reljefà imituojanèio pieðinio, primenanèio lietuviðkø medþio droþiniø ornamentus, o deðinëje aðtraus silueto spinduliai primena iðskleistà praëjusiø amþiø damos vëduoklæ. Plokðèios spinduliø kraðtinës nesiderina su sudëtinga aplinka, portretu ir dideliu nominalo skaièiumi. Dar labiau netinka grieþtu elipsës lanku uþsibaigiantis ðeðëlis, kuris, nors ir neturi nei idëjinio, nei informacinio krûvio, krenta á akis daug ákyriau negu ðviesiame lauke labai svarbus banknoto elementas – ðviesus nominalo skaièius. Dantytas vëduoklës kraðtas sutampa su skaièiaus silueto linija ir tai trukdo skaièiui. Aversui trûksta toninio akcento, kuris su-

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The sketches show that originally the theme chosen for the 5 litas banknote was the heroic deed of Steponas Darius and Stasys Girënas. Later it was decided to feature the pilots on the 10 litas note, and Jonas Jablonskis on the 5 litas. Jonas Jablonskis (1860–1930) deserved recognition for standardizing the Lithuanian language. He had deep knowledge of the Suvalkian dialect on the basis of which the literary Lithuanian language formed in late 19th century. The portrait chosen by the artist shows the scholar in old age, wearing a casual jacket and a small round brimless hat traditionally worn by 19th century scholars. It was this expressive photo that the designer passed on to the engraver. The 1 litas and 2 litas banknotes were engraved masterfully. By transferring the drawings with soft tonal shifts into a structural image of much stricter lines, the engraver did not hurt either the individuality of the portrayed persons or their mood; he perfectly conveyed details of clothes and their plasticity. In short, the engraver created a real piece of graphic art. In contrast, the lines of the engraving of Jablonskis’ portrait are hard and monotonous making it completely different from the portraits of Þemaitë and Valanèius. The famous linguist can be easily identified in the portrait: the above details of the robe and the round hat serve the purpose well, while there may be some doubts concerning the portrait itself. The graphics of hard lines of the face and beard change into even more rigid lines and forms of the clothing, as if drawn by a compass. The contrasts of the wrinkles of the clothes overshadow the face, although the bow of the dark hat nicely outlines a prominent forehead. A darker tone of the jacket would have been more suitable for the portrait. In co-operation with the printers the artist succeeded in choosing and composing the ornaments of the horizontal bands. They are elaborate and peculiar to banknotes, yet their pattern is not boring. The structure of the background is a part of a big circle, the centre of which is at the midpoint of the face oval. To the left of the portrait the circle has a guilloche-imitating pattern which bears a resemblance to the Lithuanian wood carving ornaments, and the sharp contours of the beams to the right of the portrait resemble a spread-out fan used by fashionable women in the past centuries. The flat edges of the beams do not harmonize with the intricate surroundings, the portrait and a large denomination numeral. Even more unsuitable is a shadow which ends in a rigid bow of an ellipsis. Though conveying neither topical nor informative meaning it strikes the eye much more annoyingly than the denomination numeral 5 which is a very important element in a rather light field of the note. The toothed edge of the fan coincides with the contour of the numeral and thus obstructs it. The front of the banknote lacks a tonal emphasis which would add some vividness and relief to the composition, and would bring the portrait, denomination numerals and texts to the foreground. Dominating on the back of the note is the famous sculpture “School

Banknoto projekto eskizai. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Sketches for the banknote’s design by G. Jonaitis

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Banknoto projekto eskizai. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Sketches for the banknote’s design by G. Jonaitis

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J. Jablonskis. Fotografija

J. Jablonskis, photograph

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Dail. P. Rimðos skulptûra „Vargo mokykla“. Retuðuota fotografija „Vargo mokyklos“ graviûra

Sculpture “The School of Misery” by P. Rimða, retouched photograph Engraving of “The School of Misery”

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teiktø kompozicijai gyvumo ir reljefiðkumo, iðkeltø á pirmà planà svarbiausius komponentus – portretà, nominalo skaièiø, tekstus. Reverso kompozicijos dominantë – dailininko Petro Rimðos skulptûra „Vargo mokykla“. P. Rimða raðë norëjæs „iðreikðti dëkingumà ir savo mamai, visus vaikus iðmokinusiai prie ratelio lietuviðkai skaityti, ir visoms moterims, turëjusioms valios ir energijos joms prieinamu bûdu kovoti su cariniais suvarþymais“. Taigi skulptûra – paminklas visiems tiems, kurie caro priespaudos metais nepabûgo gresianèios tremties, saugojo ir puoselëjo lietuvybæ. Skulptûra pratæsia J. Jablonskio – mokslininko – temà, tuo paèiu laikotarpiu kovojusio uþ lietuviø kalbos atgimimà ir nepailstamai jà tobulinusio. P. Rimða sukûrë kelis skulptûros variantus, gana ryðkiai besiskirianèius vienas nuo kito. G. Jonaitis pasirinko vienà ið vëlesniø, kurio bronzos liejinys yra Kaune M. K. Èiurlionio muziejuje. Banknoto dailininkas skulptûrà pieðë ir fotografavo esant ávairiam apðvietimui ir ið ávairiø taðkø. Pagaliau apsistojo prie, jo poþiûriu, tinkamiausio varianto. „Skulptûrai bûdinga paprasta ir kartu apgalvota, mases ir aþûrus jungianti kompozicija, figûrø judesio ir situacijos natûralumas. Nepaisant savo „konspiracinës“ átaigos, skulptûra alsuoja jaukia ir ramia nuotaika“, – raðoma „XX a. lietuviø dailës istorijoje“. Jau vien ðis apibûdinimas rodo, kad „Vargo mokykla“ nevisiðkai tipiðka skulptûra. Tai labai sudëtingos, daugiaplanës kompozicijos kûrinys. Jos silueto neámanoma padaryti dekoratyvø nepakenkiant turiniui ir meninei iðraiðkai. Þmogui, neþinanèiam skulptûros istorijos, ji sunkokai suprantama, todël nelabai tiko plataus kasdienio vartojimo objektui – banknotui. G. Jonaièiui teko sunkus uþdavinys – ðá sudëtingà þanriná kûriná kiek ámanoma priartinti prie simbolio iðraiðkos. Dailininkas skulptûrà apibendrino, atsisakë smulkiø detaliø, toniniø niuansø, bet per daug nesikiðo, kad neiðkreiptø jos siuþetinio charakterio ir stilistikos. Vertikalus skulptûros siluetas nevisiðkai proporcingai ákomponuotas ilgame banknoto staèiakampyje, kairysis jo kraðtas per daug apkrautas, o deðinysis lieka visiðkai tuðèias. Padëtá ðiek tiek gelbsti ornamento juostos, kartojanèios averso juostø audiná, tuo tarpu skulptûros fonas ið dalies keiðiasi – vëduoklës motyvà iðlygina smulkios giljoðo struktûros. Spalvinë kupiûros gama – þydra violetinë. Averse intensyvia mëlyna spalva akcentuoti nominalo skaièiai, ðvelniau mëlyna – banknoto plokðtuma. Ðaltos violetinës spalvos portretas ir raudoni bei violetiniai ornamentai averse sudaro gana sudëtingà spalvinæ struktûrà, tuo tarpu reverse vyrauja violetinë, o roþinë ir þydra spalvos vienoje kitoje vietoje tik ðvelniai pagyvina spalvinæ kompozicijà. Banknoto apsaugos priemonës áprastos. Ið jø paminëtinos: vandenþenklis Vytis, apsauginis siûlelis su mikrotekstu banknoto kairëje, matomas tamsiu brûkðniu þiûrint prieð ðviesà. Kai kurie komponentai – vëduoklës klosèiø briaunos, plika akimi nematomais daþais atspausdintas kvadratas su nominalo skaièiumi – apðvietus ultravioletine ðviesa, liuminescuoja geltona ar þalia spalvomis. 1993 m. laidos banknotà atspausdino Thomas De La Rue spaustuvë.

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of Misery” by Petras Rimða. The sculptor wanted, as he put it down, “to express the gratitude to my mother, who had taught all her children to read in Lithuanian while sitting at a spinning-wheel, as well as to all women, who had enough will and energy to fight against the czarist restrictions in their own ways”. Thus, this sculpture is a monument to all those who were not frightened by the menace of deportations, who were the guardians of the Lithuanian identity and cherished it over the years of the czarist oppression. The sculpture extends the theme of Jonas Jablonskis as a scholar, who at the same time was fighting for the revival of the Lithuanian language and was tirelessly developing it further. Rimða made several rather different variants of the sculpture. Jonaitis made his choice from the later versions the bronze cast of which is held at the M. K. Èiulionis Museum in Kaunas. The artist made drawings and took photographs of the sculpture under different lighting and from various angles. He finally selected the most suitable from his point of view. History of the Lithuanian Art of the 20th Century wrote: “The sculpture has a simple and, at the same time, thought-out composition, uniting the mass and the laced ornaments, and a naturally expressed motion and situation. Despite its ‘conspiratorial’ suggestiveness, the sculpture pulsates with a cosy and peaceful mood”. This description shows that the “School of Misery” is not quite a typical sculpture – it is a piece of art of a very complex multi-planed composition. It is not possible to make its outline decorative without harming its contents and artistic value. The sculpture is difficult to comprehend to a person who does not know its history and, therefore, it is not quite suitable for an object of daily use – a banknote. Jonaitis faced a challenging task of bringing this complex piece of art closer to symbolic expression. The artist generalised the sculpture by removing the details and tonal nuances, but avoided interfering too much in order not to distort the topical character and style. A vertical shape of the sculpture was not quite proportionally incorporated into the long rectangular of the banknote: the left edge of the note was overloaded with elements, while the right edge remained completely blank.The prevailing colour of the note is azure violet. On the front the intense azure singles out denomination numerals while the background is light blue. The portrait in cold violet blue and ornaments in red and violet make up quite a complex structure of colours on the front, and the violet colour dominates on the back, while the colouring of the composition is made slightly more vivid by introducing rosy and azure here and there. The banknote contains the usual security features, among which the watermark, the Vytis, and the security thread with a microtext, visible as a dark line when the note is held against the light on the left-hand side of the note, should be singled out. Some of the components – edges of the fan folds, a square with the denomination numeral printed in invisible inks – fluoresce under ultraviolet light in yellow or green. The five litas banknote of 1993 issue was printed at the Thomas De La Rue printing company.

Banknoto fragmentas – giljoðas

Detail of the banknote, guilloche

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Deðimties litø banknotas Ten Litas Banknote

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Maþøjø nominalø banknotø komponavimo schema abiem pusëms buvo bendra, banknotai vienas nuo kito skyrësi tik portretu ir spalva. Juos, kaip minëta, kûrë vienas autorius, o 10, 20 ir 50 litø banknotus projektavo skirtingi autoriai. Nors ir siekta nenutolti nuo uþsibrëþtos stilistinës vienovës, laikytis ðios nuostatos iki galo nepavyko. Leidþiant vëlesnes 10 litø banknotø laidas, stengtasi tai iðtaisyti. Ið pradþiø portretai banknotuose buvo komponuojami averso centre, taèiau K. Lynikas iðaiðkino, kad banknotai daþniausiai lenkiami per pusæ, ir centre nupaiðytas portretas bus nuolat perlenkiamas. Banknotui dar nesusidëvëjus, portretuojamasis jau bus neatpaþástamas. Be to, ir nejauku lenkti pinigà per þmogaus veidà. Taigi buvo nutarta portretus komponuoti deðinëje banknoto pusëje, kairájá kraðtà paliekant vandenþenkliui. Ðios komponavimo schemos laikytasi visø nominalø banknotuose. Laikinai atsisakius maþøjø nominalø banknotø ir visas jëgas sutelkus á didþiuosius, G. Jonaièiui buvo pavesta projektuoti 10 litø banknotà. Autorius praktiðkai jau baigtà 5 litø banknoto kompozicijà pritaikë 1991 m. 10 litø banknotui. S. Dariaus ir S. Girëno skrydis per Atlantà ir jø tragiðka þûtis ant Lietuvos slenksèio – vienas ið XX a. garsiausiai pasaulyje nuskambëjusiø lietuviø þygdarbiø. S. Darius (Steponas Jusevièius, 1897–1933 m.) ir S. Girënas (Stasys Girskis, 1891–1933 m.) – abu þemaièiai. Dar maþi bûdami, kartu su tëvais persikëlë á JAV. Sumanæ iðgarsinti Lietuvos vardà skrydþiu per Atlantà, 1933 m. liepos 15 d. jie pakilo ið Niujorko oro uosto. Perskridæ vandenynà, jie þuvo audringà naktá Prûsijoje, netoli Soldino miestelio (dabar Misliboþas Lenkijoje). Kaip jau minëta, averso centre buvo ákomponuoti lakûnø portretai, o reverse – „Lituanica“, skrendanti virð audringo vandenyno ið Amerikos á Europà, á Lietuvà. G. Jonaitis prisimena, kad jam tada ir á galvà neatëjo, jog kruopðtus jo pieðinukas bus reprodukuotas be jokiø banknotui bûdingø ámantriø ornamentø ir apsaugos priemoniø. Jis manæs, kad jo kompozicija – tik idëja, banknoto griauèiai, pagal kuriuos toliau dirbs pinigø gamybos specialistai. USBC spaustuvëje buvo ádiegta keletas paprasèiausiø banknotø apsaugos priemoniø: pagamintas specialus popierius su spalvotais plauðeliais, matomais plika akimi ir liuminescuojanèiais raudona ir þalia spalvomis apðvietus juos ultravioletine ðviesa, neryðkus ir nepastovus vandenþenklis Vytis su Gediminaièiø stulpais po juo. Kai kurie kompozicijos elementai liuminescuoja, apatinës rëmo linijos pradþioje yra mikrotekstas. Vertinant aversà kaip grafinæ kompozicijà, priekaiðtø nëra daug: gerai nupieðti portretai, jø tamsus fonas abiejose pusëse pamaþu ðviesëja. Banknoto kraðtuose iðdëstyti kiti svarbûs komponentai: kairëje – vandenþenklis, deðinëje – didelis nominalo skaièius ir jo iðraiðka þodþiais. Visi banknoto elementai profesionaliai atlikti ir sukomponuoti, kiekvienas savo vietoje, taèiau norimo banknoto vaizdo nëra. Reverse vaizduojamas „Lituanicos“ skrydis. Ið miglose paskendu-

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The layout scheme for both sides of all the low-denomination banknotes was common: the notes differed in portrait and colour only. As mentioned above, they were designed by the same author, while the designs of 10, 20 and 50 litas were made by different authors. In spite of their attempts not to deviate from the targeted stylistic unity, the authors did not completely achieve this aim. Originally the portraits were positioned in the centre of the front. However Kæstutis Lynikas explained that banknotes were usually folded in half and the centred portrait would be always folded. Thus, the portrait would have become unrecognisable well before a banknote became worn out. It was decided, therefore, to place the portraits on the right-hand side of a note, leaving the left-hand side for the watermark. After the issue of low denomination banknotes was temporarily delayed and all effort was concentrated on the notes of higher denominations, Jonaitis was contracted to design the 10 litas banknote. The author adjusted the nearly completed composition of the 5 litas note to the 10 litas banknote of 1991. The flight of Steponas Darius and Stasys Girënas over the Atlantic Ocean and their tragic death on “the threshold” of Lithuania was one of the most famous deeds of Lithuanians in the 20th century. Both Darius (Steponas Jusevièius, 1897–1933) and Girënas (Stasys Girskis, 1891–1933) were Samogitians. As children they moved with their parents to the United States of America. There they cherished the idea of making the name of Lithuania famous and, on 15 July 1933, their plane took off from New York airport. They successfully crossed the Atlantic and perished on a stormy night after their plane crashed near Soldin, a small town in Prussia (present Mysliborz in Poland). The double portrait of the pilots, as mentioned above, was placed in the centre of the front of the note and their plane “Lituanica” flying over the stormy ocean from America to Europe, Lithuania, on the back. As Jonaitis recollects, he then did not have an idea that his meticulously made small drawing could be reproduced on the note without supplementing it with any intricate ornaments and security features characteristic of banknotes. The USBC printing company introduced into the banknote some of the most simple security features: special paper with embedded coloured fibres visible to the naked eye and fluorescent under ultraviolet light in red and green, and the watermark – the Vytis with Gediminas Columns. Some elements of the composition were fluorescent. The beginning of the bottom frame of the note contained a microtext. The front should not be criticized too much as a graphical composition: skilfully drawn portraits and the dark background gradually fading on both sides. Other key elements of the composition were laid out on the edges of the note: the watermark on the left and the big denomination numeral and its value in words on the right. All the elements of the banknote were professionally made and composed, each in its proper place, yet the desired image of the banknote was not attained.

Banknoto projekto eskizai. Dail. A. Mandeika

Sketches for the banknote’s design by A. Mandeika

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S. Darius. Fotografija S. Girënas. Fotografija

S. Darius, photograph S. Girënas, photograph

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„Lituanica“ debesyse. Fotografija

“Lituanica” in the clouds, photograph

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sio Amerikos þemyno virð ðëlstanèiø Atlanto bangø lëktuvas verþiasi á tokio pat neryðkaus kontûro Europà ir jo belaukianèià Lietuvà. Kaip paveikslas, ði kompozicija taip pat be priekaiðtø: ji turininga, emocionali, áspûdinga. Svarbiausi komponentai – nominalo skaièiai, tekstas, lëktuvas ir valstybës herbas iðdëstyti dviem horizontaliomis juostomis, centras paliktas didþiulei bangai. Ið pirmo þvilgsnio, banknotas tuðèias – vien lëktuvas ir nedideli skaièiai kampuose. Paveiksluose toks komponavimo bûdas áprastas – tuðèia erdvë sutelkia þiûrovo dëmesá á joje iðdëstytus, kad ir nedaug vietos uþimanèius, taèiau idëjiðkai labai svarbius komponentus. Paveikslo, bet ne banknoto. Banknoto abiejø pusiø pieðiniø struktûra – smulkiø, staèiu kampu susikertanèiø trumpø ðtricheliø pilkas audinys. USBC spaustuvë tik reprodukavo pieðiná ofsetu. G. Jonaitis, rengdamas projektà naujai 1993 m. laidai, banko papraðytas, portretus sukomponavo banknoto deðiniame kraðte. Taip sukomponuotas banknotas buvo panaðesnis á kitus serijos banknotus, be to, kairiame kraðte palikta vietos vandenþenkliui ir dideliam nominalo skaièiui. Averso virðuje ir apaèioje nupieðtos plaèios horizontalios ornamento juostos. Kompozicija, be abejonës, labiau tiko banknotui, taèiau estetiniu poþiûriu ji kai ko neteko. Ankstesnio projekto tiksli simetriðka kompozicija buvo sugriauta, bet ne iki galo. Portretus ákomponavus deðinëje, dideli tekstai liko banknotø centre, juos dar labiau iðryðkino grubaus pieðinio ornamentas – laurø lapø pynë. Nenuosekliai nupieðta ir apatinë ornamento juosta. Keisdama charakterá, kairëje ji pasiekia banknoto kraðtà, tuo tarpu deðinëje nutrûksta ir baigiasi ties S. Girëno ðvarku. Palyginti su pirmos laidos pieðiniu, nukentëjo ir iðgraviruoti S. Dariaus bei S. Girëno portretai. Jei ne lakûnø apranga, ne tokia kiekvieno lietuvio akiai áprasta dviejø jaunuoliø, pasipuoðusiø pilotø kepurëmis, fotografija, juos atpaþinti bûtø sunkoka. Graviûroje neliko individualiø veido bruoþø – vienodi, taisyklingi veido ovalai, nosys, vienodos akys ir tik ðiek tiek asimetriðkas S. Dariaus lûpø pieðinys leidþia atskirti vienà veidà nuo kito. Gana mechaniðkas ir aprangos – kepuriø, ðvarkø, marðkiniø – vaizdas. Ornamento juostos ið grubiai, retomis storomis linijomis nupieðtø ir manieringai iðsilanksèiusiø laurø lapø sudaro margà, tekstams ir skaièiams nepalankø fonà, trukdo smulkesnëmis linijomis modeliuojamiems portretams. Banknoto vaizdà ið esmës keièia plonø linijëliø giljoðo tinklelis, dengiantis visà banknoto staèiakampá, persiliedamas ið ryðkiai violetinës á þalià, po to – á raudonà spalvà. Ðis fonas, giliaspaude spausdinti portretai, sutapimo þenklas, ultravioletinëje ðviesoje liuminescuojantis centre esanèio skaièiaus kontûras bei po juo esantis nominalo skaièius – papildomos apsaugos priemonës. Reverso pakitimai ne tokie ryðkûs, taèiau jie aiðkiai pastebimi. Pagrindiniø komponentø – „Lituanicos“ ir þemynø, nominalo skaièiø ir tekstø padëtis keièiasi nedaug. Vieno skaièiaus aukðtai kairëje atsisakoma, kito tik pasikeièia spalva, taèiau virð audringos jûros skrendantá lëktuvà sunku atpaþinti, jis labai skiriasi nuo pirmos laidos banknoto lëktuvo. Kad kompozicija labiau tiktø banknotui, þemynai ir lëk-

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The back depicts the flight of the “Lituanica”. The plane flies over the raging waves of the Atlantic rushing from the indistinct continent of America to dimly contoured Europe and Lithuania impatiently waiting for its arrival. As a composition, this would not draw any criticism either: it is meaningful, emotional and impressive. The main components – denomination numerals, texts, the plane and the state emblem are laid out in two horizontal lines and the space in the centre is left for a huge wave. At first sight, the banknote seems to be empty – just a plane and small figures in the corners. Such a composition is usual in pictures as unfilled space enables the viewer to concentrate attention on the arranged components, which, though occupying little space, are very significant from the point of view of the idea. But this is appropriate for a picture, not a banknote. While preparing the design for the 10 litas banknote of the new 1993 issue, at the request of the Bank of Lithuania, Jonaitis placed the portrait on the right-hand side of the front. Such a layout made the banknote closer to other banknotes of the series. In addition, space was provided on the left-hand side for the watermark and a large denomination numeral. At the top and bottom edges of the front two horizontal wide bands were drawn. This composition, no doubt, was more suitable for a banknote, but it lost something from the aesthetic point of view. By placing the portrait on the right side large texts remained in the centre of the note and the rough drawing of the ornament of laurels made them even more exposed. The drawing of the bottom band was also inconsistent: on the left the band reached the left edge of the banknote, while on the right it abruptly ended at the intersection with the jacket of Girënas. Compared to the drawing of the first issue, the engraved portrait of Darius and Girënas also suffered. The individual features of the faces disappeared leaving the same regular face ovals, noses and eyes. Only a slightly asymmetric drawing of Darius’ lips made the faces different. The image of dress – peaked caps, jackets and shirts – is rather mechanical. The ornamented bands of pretentiously interlaced laurel leaves sparsely drawn in thick lines create an adverse motley background for the texts and figures and suppress the portraits modelled from thinner lines. The look of the banknote was basically changed due to the guilloche fine-line structure covering the whole rectangular of the banknote and changing in colour that shifts from bright violet to green and then red. This background, the intaglioprinted portraits, the see-through feature, the outline of the figure in the centre fluorescent under ultraviolet light and the denomination numeral are additional security features. The changes on the back are not so distinct, though still evident. The positioning of the key components – the plane “Lituanica” and the continents, denomination numerals and texts – did not change much: only one numeral was removed from the top left corner and the colour of another numeral was changed. In order to make the composition more suitable for the banknote, the continents and the

Pirmos laidos banknotas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Banknote of the first issue. Design by G. Jonaitis

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Antros laidos banknotas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Banknote of the second issue. Design by G. Jonaitis

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Banknoto fragmentas – S. Dariaus ir S. Girëno portretø graviûros negatyvas

Detail from the banknote: engraving of the portraits of S. Darius and S. Girënas

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Treèios laidos banknoto fragmentas

Detail from the banknote of the third issue

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Treèios laidos banknoto fragmentas

Detail from the banknote of the third issue

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tuvas buvo perpieðti vadovëliðkai tiksliai, kietomis techninio brëþinio linijomis. Buvæs audringas dangus tapo lygiu, giedriu skliautu ið monotoniðkai plaukianèiø vingiuotø linijëliø mezginio. Bangos surikiuotos á lygiagreèias eilutes. Bet labiausiai nukentëjo þemynai. Ankstesniame banknote á miglà nuskendusios pietinës jø dalys dabar ágijo ryðkø kontûrà, kurá nukerta paðiauðta jûros horizonto linija. Todël vietoje Europos matome kaþkokià naujà neþinomà þemæ – Europà be Italijos ir Graikijos, be Vidurþemio jûros ðiauriniø krantø. Kaip raðydavo senuose þemëlapiuose – terra incognita. Pakeitimai buvo daromi tam, kad pirmos laidos paveikslëlis taptø panaðus á banknotà, kad jis bûtø neáveikiamas falsifikatoriams. Ið dalies tikslas buvo pasiektas, bet su didþiuliais banknoto, kaip taikomosios grafikos kûrinio, skirto ne tik pilieèiø kasdienëms reikmëms, bet ir reprezentuoti ðalá bei jos kultûrà, nuostoliais. 1993 m. laidos banknotà, kaip ir pirmosios, spausdino USBC spaustuvë. 1997 m. pasirodë dar viena to paties banknoto laida, atspausdinta Thomas De La Rue spaustuvëje. Jo aversas buvo papildytas giljoðo ornamento rozete, sudaranèia pagrindà didþiajam nominalo skaièiui. Labiau komplikuota yra banknoto plokðtumø struktûra ir iki kompozicijos kraðto deðinëje pratæsta siauresnë apatinë juosta. Aversas atrodo vientisesnis, ryðkus nominalo skaièius pabrëþia pinigo charakterá. Gerokai daugiau naujoviø ádiegta reverse. Nors nei pagrindiniai komponentai, nei jø iðdëstymas nepasikeitë, tik Europa „atgavo“ savo pietinæ dalá, taèiau juos uþgoþusios giljoðo struktûros vaizdà pakeitë ið esmës. Ið bangos iðkylantys giljoðo ornamento spinduliai uþdengia visà erdvæ nuo þemyno iki þemyno, kontrastingi, prieðingø poliø spalvø – þydros ir oranþinës – pluoðtai visai plokðtumai suteikia margumo. Buvusi putojanti banga pavirto á debesá ið smulkiø taðkeliø, á já grubiai ásikerta oranþinë giljoðo struktûra. Spinduliai ið esmës pakeièia siuþeto turiná – dramatizmo kupina ir tragiðkà baigtá pranaðaujanti scena virto romantiðku, taikiu paveikslëliu. Projekto autorius buvo nuvykæs á kompanijos, spausdinusios banknotà, spaustuvæ, bet kà galëjo padaryti tada dar nepatyræs pinigø dizaineris per keletà darbo dienø. Dailininkas kritiðkai vertina savo projektuotà banknotà. Jis prisimena: „Tada pirmà kartà kartu su kompanijos dizaineriu sëdau prie kompiuterio ir turëjau progà tiesiogiai daryti átakà kuriant tam tikras grafines struktûras, ðiuo konkreèiu atveju dirbau su þemëlapiø kontûrais“. Ir toliau: „Banknoto grafika tapo sudëtingesnë, ávairesnë, bet matau ir trûkumø – pakankamai grubus fonas, kai kur jo negali paslëpti taðkiniu bûdu pieðta banga“. Baigiant kalbëti apie treèios laidos 10 litø banknotà, galima konstatuoti, kad pinigas tapo saugesnis. Ðalia ankstesniø ádiegta naujø apsaugos priemoniø: averse ðalia apatinio nominalo skaièiaus, ornamento juostos kairëje pusëje, atspausdintas kitas tokio pat dydþio skaièius, bet matomas tik pakreipus banknotà tam tikru kampu, suprojektuotas sudëtingesnis sutapimo þenklas – þvaigþdutë, banknotà dengianèià giljoðo struktûrà sunkiau nukopijuoti.

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plane were re-drawn in a precise academic manner by using hard lines usually used in technical drawings. The previous image of the stormy sky turned into a smooth and clear heaven consisting of a structure of monotonously floating, curved tiny lines. The waves were arranged in parallel lines. Yet the continents suffered most. Their southern parts, formerly veiled in mist, now acquired a clear outline cut off by the horizontal line of the wavy ocean. As a result, instead of Europe one can see some new unknown land – Europe without Italy and Greece, without the northern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. A terra incognita, as used to be marked on old maps. The 10 litas banknote of 1993 issue as well as the banknote of the first issue was printed by the USBC. In 1997 one more issue of the same banknote, this time printed by Thomas De La Rue, appeared in circulation. The front of the note was supplemented with a guilloche-ornamented rosette forming a setting for the large denomination numeral. The structure of the planes of the note is more complicated and a thinner band at the bottom extends to the right edge of the composition. The front looks more intact and the bright denomination numeral emphasizes the character of the banknote. Many more innovations were introduced on the back. Though neither the key components nor their layout changed, with the exception of Europe which “regained” its southern part, the look changed completely as it was overshadowed by guilloche structures. The rays of the guilloche pattern emerging from the waves cover the whole space from continent to continent; the contrasting pencils of azure and orange that are at the opposite poles of the colour scale give the whole picture a motley look. The previous wave turned into a cloud of tiny dots with a roughly intervening orange guilloche structure. The rays, in principle, changed the contents of the theme – the dramatic scene predicting a tragic end turned into a romantic and tranquil picture. The author of the design went to the printing works of the company producing the banknote, but there was little that the inexperienced designer could do in a few days. The artist himself expressed criticism of his banknote. He recollected: “The graphics of the banknote became more complex and diverse, but I can also see some drawbacks: a rather rough background, which is difficult to mask by the wave drawn in dots”. With reference to the 10 litas banknote of the third issue it may be said that the banknote was better protected. New security features were introduced in addition to the existing ones: on the front an extra latent denomination numeral of the same size as the one on the lefthand side of the ornamental band at the bottom was printed and could be visible only when the banknote was tilted towards the light; more complex was the design of the see-through feature, a star, and the guilloche structure, covering the whole banknote, was more difficult to copy. In 2001 a fourth issue of the 10 litas banknotes appeared. The

Treèios laidos banknotas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Banknote of the third issue. Design by G. Jonaitis

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Ketvirtos laidos banknoto fragmentas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

2001 m. pasirodë jau ketvirta 10 litø banknoto laida. Pirminë G. Jonaièio sukurta banknoto kompozicija ryðkiau pasikeitë tik spausdinant antrà laidà, o vëliau tik tobulëjo gamybos technologija, gausëjo apsaugos priemoniø. 2001 m. laidos banknotà spausdino Ðveicarijoje, Ciuriche, ásikûrusi Orell Füssli Security Printing Ltd spaustuvë. Jei neþinotume, kad banknotà spausdino kita firma, kad lakûnø portretai iðgraviruoti ið naujo, o spræstume tik pagal graviûros linijø tëkmës ir charakterio analizæ, galëtume pamanyti, kad visø trijø laidø portretus graviravo vienas ir tas pats meistras. Tik labai atidþiai lyginant galima pastebëti skirtumus. Tiesa, pastarosios laidos portretai didesni, gal ðiek tiek labiau panaðûs á mums gerai paþástamus lakûnus, taèiau beveik visos jau anksèiau minëtos ydos tinka ir jiems. Ypaè neapaþástamos S. Dariaus akys su jam nebûdingais aukðtai pakeltais antakiais. Neþiûrint graviûros trûkumø, banknoto visuma pagerëjo: susmulkëjæs horizontaliø ornamento juostø pieðinys sudaro jaukø fonà didiesiems tekstams, maloniai kontrastuoja su portretø graviûros linijomis. Kairëje banknoto pusëje grieþta vertikale nutrûkstantis ornamento kraðtas suðvelninamas ámantria giljoðo rozete, kurià sunku nukopijuoti. Tuðèiame plote, paliktame vandenþenkliui Vyèiui, iðdëstytos ir kitos apsaugos priemonës. Originalus, temà atitinkantis sutapimo þenklas – „Lituanicos“ silueto motyvas – naudojamas ir kuriant giljoðo struktûrà horizontaliuose banknoto pakraðèiuose. Reverso komponentai iðliko tie patys, kaip ir ankstesniø laidø. Atsisakius ryðkiø spinduliø, goþusiø lëktuvà ir bangà, kompozicija tapo aiðkesnë, didelës plokðtumos, uþpildytos sudëtingos, kompiuteriu sukurtos struktûros audiniu, daro banknotà saugesná. Pagaliau iðspræstas ilgai kompozicijà gadinæs þemynø kontûrø klausimas – þemynø siluetas nelenda á pirmà planà kaip geografijos atlase, jiems netrûksta jûrø ar pusiasaliø. Averso ir reverso ornamento juostø pieðinys neákyrus, taèiau sudëtingas, savo stilistika jis susieja abi banknoto puses. Be reikalo dailininkas nepakartojo giljoðo rozetës, suðvelninanèios grieþtà averso kompozicijos kraðtà. Ji taip pat sëkmingai galëjo papuoðti ir reversà. Kompozicijos vientisumu, atlikimo profesionalumu, spalvø kultûra – tai turbût vienas ið geriausiai pavykusiø lietuviðkø banknotø. Reikia tikëtis, kad jis bus ir vienas ið saugiausiø banknotø. Ðalia jau anksèiau iðvardytøjø jis turi ir keletà naujø apsaugos priemoniø. Paminëtina mikroperforacija, dar labai reta pasaulio piniguose: þiûrint á banknotà prieð ðviesà, aiðkiai matomas ið maþø skyluèiø sudarytas skaièius „10“. Tai unikali apsaugos priemonë, jà padirbti labai sunku, o kartu labai lengva patikrinti – uþtenka pakelti banknotà prieð ðviesà. Labai aiðkiai matoma ir punktyrinë blizganti juostelë su mikrotekstu, ultravioletinëje ðviesoje liuminescuojanti vaivorykðtës spalvomis.

Detail from the banknote of the fourth issue. Design by G. Jonaitis

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composition designed by Jonaitis significantly changed only when printing the second issue of the banknote, while later only the production technology was improved and the number of security features increased. The banknote of 2001 issue was produced by another company, Orell Füssli Security Printing Ltd in Zurich, Switzerland. If we did not know that the banknotes were printed by another company and that the portraits were engraved again and would judge only from the analysis of the line flow in the engraving and its character, we could guess that the portraits of all three series were engraved by the same master. The differences can be noticed only through a thorough comparison of the engravings. In fact, the portraits of the latest issue are slightly bigger and, probably, bear more resemblance to the pilots, so familiar to everyone. However, the portraits have nearly all of the same drawbacks mentioned above. Particularly unfamiliar are the eyes of Darius and his unnaturally highly lifted eyebrows. In spite of the drawbacks of the engraving, the entire look of the banknote improved: finer patterns of the horizontal ornamental bands form a favourable background for the big-sized texts and pleasingly contrast with the engraved lines of the portrait. On the left-hand side, the abruptly cut vertical edge of the ornament is made softer by an intricate guilloche rosette which is difficult to copy. Other security features are also laid out in the blank area left for the watermark, the Vytis. The original see-through feature – a motif of the shape of “Lituanica” – designed to fit the theme is also used when creating a guilloche pattern on the horizontal edges of the banknote. The components of the back remained the same as those used in the notes of the previous issues. After the bright rays overshadowing the plane and the wave were removed, the composition became much clearer, and the large planes filled with complex computer-designed patterns made the banknote more secure. The problem of the outlines of the continents which had all the time impaired the composition was finally solved: the continents do not stand out in the foreground as in geographical atlases and have all the seas and peninsulas. This note is, probably, one of the most successful of all the Lithuanian banknotes from the point of view of the integrity of the composition, professional performance and the culture of colours. It is expected that at the same time it will be one of the best-protected banknotes. It has some new security features in addition to the ones mentioned above, among which micro-perforation, still rarely used in banknotes, should be noted. When the banknote is viewed against the light, the figure 10 formed of tiny perforated holes is clearly seen. A glossy windowed security thread with a microtext is also clearly visible and fluoresces under ultraviolet light in rainbow colours.

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Dvideðimties litø banknotas Twenty Litas Banknote

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Iki ðiol iðleistos keturios 20 litø banknoto laidos. Jo kompozicijà sukûrë dailininkas Justinas Tolvaiðis. Tai buvo tik ranka pieðtas kompozicijos karkasas. Pirmos dvi ðio nominalo banknoto laidos (1991 m. ir 1993 m.) atspausdintos USBC spaustuvëje. Mokslininkø siûlymu ðiame banknote nutarta áamþinti þymø lietuviø poetà Jonà Maèiulá-Maironá (1862–1932 m.). Kunigas, teologijos profesorius aktyviai dalyvavo tautiniame judëjime, bet labiausiai þinomas kaip poetas, savo lyrika garsinæs didvyriðkà senovæ, kvietæs á kovà prieð carizmà, dainavæs meilæ Lietuvai ir jos gamtai. Jo eilëraðèiai – nauja lietuviø lyrikos epocha, jos pagrindu atsirado moderniøjø poetø kûryba. Poemos „Tarp skausmø á garbæ“, „Jaunoji Lietuva“, eilëraðèiø rinkinys „Pavasario balsai“ formavo ne vienos kartos pasaulëjautà, þadino patriotinius jausmus sunkiais okupacijø metais. Reverse buvo pasiûlyta vaizduoti Vytauto Didþiojo karo muziejaus ansamblá Kaune. Poetas ðio pastato niekada nematë, jis pastatytas jau po jo mirties. Nors Maironis gimë Þemaitijoje, taèiau Kaune praleido didelæ gyvenimo dalá, èia ir mirë. Palaidotas taip pat netoli muziejaus, Katedros sienoje. Poetui, puoselëjusiam Lietuvos atgimimà, besidþiaugusiam savarankiðkos valstybës gyvenimo sëkmëmis ir emocingai liûdëjusiam dël sunkumø, artimas ir kitas reverso komponentas – J. Zikaro „Laisvës“ skulptûra, sparnuotos moters, nutraukusios priespaudos panèius, ávaizdis. Ne taip, kaip kiti autoriai, grindþiantys kuriamus ornamentus liaudies meno pavyzdþiais, J. Tolvaiðis savàjà kompozicijà papuoðë lauko gëliø ir þolynø juosta, á jà ápindamas poeto simbolá – paukðtelá. Tamsiai raudoname lauke, per visà banknoto ilgá apaèioje besidriekianti þaliø lapeliø pynë sudaro palankø fonà ðviesiam tekstui ir nominalo skaièiui. Ðiek tiek pretenzingai atrodo tik paukðteliai, ypaè tas, kuris yra ant skaièiaus ir vos ne ant poeto peties. Kai kurios jo silueto detalës grynai liaudiðkos, kitos visai natûralistinës. Jø ákomponavimo vieta taip pat kelia daug abejoniø, jei ne priekaiðtø. Ið ornamento juostø paimtas stilizuotas paukðtis aiðkiai netinka prie realistiðkai ið fotografijos perpieðto Maironio. Virðutinë juosta taip pat turi trûkumø. Ji praktiðkai sudaryta ið dviejø pagal ornamento logikà nepersipinanèiø elementø: ðeðialapiø þiedeliø, surikiuotø á eilæ virðuje, ir stiebeliø su lapeliais apaèioje. Gerai, kad kairëje juosta paðviesëja ir jos struktûra nebepastebima. Vienas ið stambiausiø reverso kompozicijos elementø – „Laisvës“ skulptûra – per daug prispausta prie banknoto kraðto. Skulptûra, Vytauto Didþiojo karo muziejaus bokðtas ir kontrastingai apðviestas muziejaus priekinis fasadas uþima pusæ banknoto ir sudalija já aðtriomis vertikalëmis, o neiðraiðkingas, ðeðëlyje paskendæs ðoninis fasadas, – kità pusæ banknoto. Paprastai architektas sutelkia visà savo iðmonæ, kad pastatà reprezentuojantis priekinis fasadas atrodytø ádomiai. Architektui Vladimirui Dubeneckiui tai pavyko, Vytauto Didþiojo karo muziejus – vienas ið áspûdingiausiø tarpukario Lietuvos architektûros ansambliø. Neaiðku, kodël banknoto autorius daugiau kompozicijos ploto skyrë ne reprezentaciniam fasadui, o ðeðëlyje paskendusiam pa-

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To this time there have been four issues of the 20 litas banknote. The designer of the banknote’s layout was Justinas Tolvaiðis. The first two issues of the banknote of this denomination (1991 and 1993) were printed by the USBC. On the proposal from scholars, a decision was taken to commemorate the renowned Lithuanian poet Jonas Maèiulis-Maironis (1862– 1932). The ensemble of Vytautas the Great War Museum in Kaunas was proposed for depicting on the back. The poet had never seen this building; it was erected only after his death. Maironis spent a substantial part of his lifetime in Kaunas, where he died, too. The poet was buried not far from the Museum, in the wall of the Cathedral. Another component of the back, the Statue of Liberty by Juozas Zikaras, an image of a winged woman who has broken the ties of suppression, was close to the poet, who cherished Lithuania’s revival, rejoiced at success in the life of the independent state. Unlike other authors designing their ornaments based on examples of folk art, Tolvaiðis ornamented his design with a band of field flowers and herbs, plaiting the symbol of the poet, a bird, into it. Against a deep purple background, a garland of green leaves extends along the bottom of the banknote, providing a favourable background for the light-colour lettering and the denomination numeral. Only the birds look somewhat pretentious, especially the one over the numeral, nearly sitting on the poet’s shoulder. Some of the details of the bird’s silhouette are done purely in folk style; others are quite naturalistic. Their place in the banknote is doubtful, too, if not to be openly criticised. The stylised bird taken from ornamental bands clearly does not go with the realistic drawing of Maironis made after his photograph. The upper band also has shortcomings. It is in fact composed of two elements, which do not interlace according to the logic of the ornament: six-leaf flowers arranged in a line at the top and stems with leaves at the bottom. Luckily, the band lightens up on the left, making its structure difficult to discern. One of the largest compositional elements of the back, the statue of Liberty is placed too close to the edge of the banknote. The statue, the bell tower of Vytautas the Great War Museum and the Museum’s contrastingly lit front fašade take half of the banknote and divide it by sharp verticals, and the dull, shadowed side fašade takes the other half of the banknote. Usually, the architect uses all his fantasy to make the front fašade, which represents the building, look interesting. The architect Vladimiras Dubeneckis succeeded in doing this: Vytautas the Great War Museum in Kaunas represents one of the most impressive Lithuanian architectural ensembles of the inter-war period. It is unclear, why the designer of the banknote devoted more compositional space not to the representative fašade but to the shadowy side of the building. It was also a thoughtless idea to turn the shadowy side of the Museum’s bell tower towards the viewer: the sunlit side turns into an obscure light dash in a dark environment. It is not important to depict objects accurately on a banknote. It is

Maironio portretas. Fotografija Banknoto eskizas. Dail. J. Tolvaiðis

Portrait of Maironis, photograph Sketch for the banknote. Design by J. Tolvaiðis

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Dail. J. Zikaro skulptûra „Laisvë“. Fotogr. J. Polis

“Liberty”. Sculpture by J. Zikaras. Photo by J. Polis

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Pirmos laidos banknoto projektas. Dail. J. Tolvaiðis

Design of the first-issue banknote by J. Tolvaiðis

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stato ðonui. Neapgalvotai ðeðëline puse á þiûrovà pasuktas ir muziejaus bokðtas, saulës apðviestas ðonas perspektyvoje pavirsta á neryðkø ðviesø brûkðnelá tamsioje aplinkoje. Banknote nëra svarbu tiksliai parodyti vaizduojamus objektus. Daug svarbiau, kad jie bûtø atpaþástami plaèiajai visuomenei. Objektø tarpusavio iðdëstymas, apðvietimo ir ðeðëliø þaismas turi paklusti svarbiausiam dësniui – padëti atskirus komponentus susieti á visumà, pagrástà ne natûros, o komponavimo logika. Ypaè daug dëmesio dailininkas skyrë dangui. Audringi ávairiarûðiai debesys ne tik sudarë tamsø fonà apðviestam pastatui ir suteikë visai kompozicijai dramatizmo, bet galëjo tapti pagrindu sudëtingai banknoto grafikai. Tuo tarpu þemë, ant kurios stovi visas ansamblis, nupieðta neádomiai. Geriau reikëjo muziejø padidinti, kad apaèioje jis liestø ornamento juostos kraðtinæ, o þemës nerodyti. Praktiðkai pagal tà patá J. Tolvaiðio projektà 1993 m. atspausdinti banknotai jau turëjo daugiau pinigams bûdingø elementø. Ankstesnës laidos ofsetu spausdintà pieðiná spaustuvës specialistai perpieðë grafinëmis linijomis. Kadangi tai darë ne pats autorius, ne visuomet spaustuvës meistrai dirbo pagal jo projektà. Jie vadovavosi sava logika ir ávedë naujoviø – gana ryðkiai pakeitë juostø plokðtumas, jas uþpildë giljoðo struktûromis, þemiau ákomponavo didelá nominalo skaièiø. Visa tai banknoto pieðiniui suteikë margumo. Ypaè ryðkûs pasikeitimai reverse. Dramatiðkos nuotaikos su audringais debesimis ir kontrastingai apðviestu pastatu kompozicija, jà perpieðus techninio brëþinio sausomis linijomis, tapo nuobodþia, nykia, be toninio intensyvumo XIX a. vadovëlio iliustracija. Jau ir J. Tolvaiðio pieðinyje sunkiai matomas ðeðëline puse á þiûrovà pasuktas muziejaus bokðtas bei lygiagretëmis ástriþomis linijomis modeliuota J. Zikaro „Laisvë“ atspausdintame banknote galutinai iðtirpo vienatonëje plokðtumoje. Visi banknoto komponentai perpieðti gana grubiai, tuðèias, autoriaus ne iki galo apgalvotas erdves uþbraiþant ðalta, techniðka linijø faktûra. Banknoto staèiakampis padengtas dvispalviu giljoðo struktûrø audiniu. Maironio portretas, nominalo skaièiai, ornamento juostos iðgraviruotos ir atspaustos giliaspaude, ádiegta daugiau apsaugos priemoniø – sutapimo þenklas, nematomais daþais atspausdintas nominalo skaièius, apsauginis siûlelis su mikrotekstu, liuminescuojantys elementai ir kt. 1997 m. Thomas De La Rue spaustuvëje atspausdinta treèia banknoto laida. Pagrindiniai komponentai vël niekuo nesiskyrë nuo ankstesniø, taèiau ávesta naujø apsaugos elementø. Erdvæ, skirtà vandenþenkliui, padengë ámantresnës struktûros audinys, ádiegtas sudëtingesnis, dvipusá kopijavimà apsunkinantis sutapimo þenklas, daugiaspalviai virðutinis ir apatinis kraðtai – smulkiø linijø tinkleliai. Vandenþenkliui naudojamas tas pats banknotà puoðiantis Maironio portretas. Kompanija stengësi tobulinti banknoto apsaugà. Meninë pusë liko kaip buvusi, o kai kuriais aspektais dar ir pablogëjo – buvo sugriautas dailininko pirminis sumanymas. Ypaè ryðkus to pavyzdys – dangø virð architektûros ansamblio dengiantis giljoðas. Aktyvi jo struk-

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much more important that they are recognisable by the general public. The way the objects are inter-positioned on the banknote, the play of light and shadows must be subject to the key law of helping join individual components into a whole based on the logic of arrangement rather than nature. The designer focussed particularly on the sky. The stormy clouds of different sorts not only provided a dark background for the lit up building and made the whole composition look dramatic but also could serve as the basis for the complicated graphics of the banknote. Whereas the way the ground, on which the entire ensemble stands, is drawn is uninteresting. Instead, the Museum should have been enlarged to reach the edge of the ornamental band and the ground should not have been featured at all. The banknote of 1993 issue, printed practically according to the same design by Tolvaiðis, contained more elements typical of currency. The experts of the printing company redesigned the offsetprinted drawing of the previous issue in graphic lines. Since it was not the author himself who did it, the company’s masters did not always follow his design. They followed the logic of their own and introduced innovations: modified the planes of the bands, filled them with guilloche structures, and placed a big denomination numeral below. All this made the drawing look heterogeneous. The alterations on the back were particularly substantial. The dramatic composition of stormy clouds and contrastingly lit building, redone in the dry lines of the technical drawing, became a dull and grim illustration from a 19 th century text-book, deprived of tonal intensity. The Museum’s bell tower with its shadowy side turned towards the viewer and the “Liberty” by Zikaras, designed in parallel diagonal lines which were only hardly visible in Tolvaiðis’ drawing melted totally in the printed banknote in a single-tone plane. All components of the banknote were redrawn quite roughly, covering the empty spaces the author was not sufficiently thoughtful of by a cold technical structure of lines. A twocolour pattern of guilloche structures covered the rectangle of the banknote. The portrait of Maironis, denomination numerals and ornamental bands were engraved and printed in intaglio, more security features were introduced. In 1997, the third issue of the banknote was printed by Thomas De La Rue. The key components, again, were in no way different from those printed previously; however, new elements of security were introduced. The space devoted for the watermark was covered with a pattern of a more elaborate structure; a more complicated see-through feature, interfering with two-side copying, was incorporated; and the multicolour top and bottom edges were made into a grid of fine lines. For the watermark, the same portrait of Maironis, ornamenting the banknote, was used. The company put more efforts in enhancing the banknote’s security. The artistic peculiarities remained unchanged and even worsened in some respects: the designer’s original idea was destroyed. A

Pirmos laidos banknotas. Dail. J. Tolvaiðis

Banknote of the first issue. Design by J. Tolvaiðis

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Antros laidos banknotas. Dail. J. Tolvaiðis

Banknote of the second issue. Design by J. Tolvaiðis

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Treèios laidos banknotas. Dail. J. Tolvaiðis

Banknote of the third issue. Design by J. Tolvaiðis

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Maironio portretai pirmos ir antros laidø banknotuose

Portrait of Maironis on the banknotes of the first and second issues

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Maironio portretas treèios laidos banknote

Portrait of Maironis on the banknote of the third issue

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Maironio portretas ketvirtos laidos banknote

Portrait of Maironis on the banknote of the fourth issue

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Banknoto kompozicijos eskizas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

tûra krenta á akis uþgoþdama smulkesnio modeliavimo muziejaus pastatà, faktûros tonas priartëja prie „Laisvës“ skulptûros tono. Banknote aiðkiai ðvieèia tik nedidelis ansamblio priekinio fasado plotelis, o visi kiti komponentai nuskæsta monotoniðkoje plokðtumoje. Joje iðtirpsta ir nedideli nominalo skaièiai. Bendra averso kompozicija pavyko ðiek tiek geriau. Aktyvios horizontalios ornamento juostos, kontrastingas, nors ir su trûkumais, portretas, didelis þaliomis briaunomis nominalo skaièius, ið jo spinduliuojanti daugiaspalvë giljoðo struktûra daro kompozicijà pinigiðka, aiðkiai suprantama. Spaustuvës specialistai iðtaisë dailininko klaidà – buvusá raudonà paukðtelá ant poeto peties nupieðë plona linijële ir kontrastingoje aplinkoje jis praktiðkai neáþiûrimas. Ið naujo iðgraviruotas Maironio portretas. Jo veido ðeðëlinës dalys per daug tamsios. Margas plaukø pieðinys susilieja su tokiu pat margu gëliø ornamentu, ir virðugalvio siluetas iðnyksta. Parengti projektà naujai 2001 m. banknoto laidai, kuri atspausdinta Orell Füssli Security Printing Ltd spaustuvëje, buvo pakviestas G. Jonaitis – daugiausiai patirties sukaupæs mûsø banknotø dizaineris. Jis iðtaisë beveik visas banknoto kompozicijos klaidas. Averse esminiø pakeitimø iðdëstant komponentus nëra, taèiau estetiðkai jie pateikti geriau. Banknoto plokðtumos ir ornamento juostos, padengtos sudëtingu, smulkios giljoðo struktûros tinkleliu, graþiai dera tarpusavyje ir sudaro bendrà laukà, iðkeldamos á pirmà planà portretà, nominalo skaièius ir tekstus. Dailininkas ið esmës perkomponavo reversà: gerokai padidino Vytauto Didþiojo karo muziejaus ansamblá, jo apðviestà paradiná fasadà pasuko á þiûrovà, jis tapo ilgesnis ir pasidarë svarbiausiu visà kompozicijà surikiuojanèiu objektu. J. Zikaro „Laisvës“ skulptûra, iðdidinta per visà banknoto aukðtá, atkelta á deðiná kraðtà. Ji kerta ansamblio ðoniná, neádomø, ðeðëlyje paskendusá fasadà ir tampa banknoto vertikale. Kompozicija aiðki, komponentai iðdëstyti nuosekliai. Ðioks toks

particularly obvious example of this is the guilloche covering the sky above the architectural ensemble. Its active structure strikes the eye, subduing the Museum’s building of finer modelling and the textural tone approximates that of the Statue of Liberty. Only the small area of the ensemble’s front fašade clearly shines in the banknote, whereas all other components, including small denomination numerals, melt in a monotonic plane. The portrait of Maironis was engraved anew. The shadowy parts of his face became too dark. The heterogeneous drawing of his hair merged with the also heterogeneous ornament of flowers, and the outline of the upper part of his head faded out. Jonaitis, our banknote designer who had accumulated most experience, was invited to prepare the design for the new 2001 issue of the banknote, which was printed by Orell Füssli Security Printing Ltd. He corrected nearly all errors of banknote composition. The front contains no essential modifications of the layout of components; however, their presentation is better from the aesthetical point of view. The banknote’s planes and ornamental bands, covered with an elaborate, finely structured guilloche structure, are in perfect harmony and make a common background, putting forward the portrait, denomination numerals and the texts. The artist virtually rearranged the back, enlarging quite substantially the ensemble of Vytautas the Great War Museum and turning its lighted front fašade towards the viewer, it lengthened and became the key object to dominate the entire composition. The Statue of Liberty by Juozas Zikaras, enlarged from the bottom to the top of the banknote, was shifted to the right-hand side. It crosses the uninteresting, shadow-covered side fašade of the ensemble and becomes a vertical in the banknote. The composition is clear; the components are arranged consistently. A slight drawback is that the toning of the shadowy side of the fašade and of the statue is similar. The tonal intensity

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Sketch for the layout of the banknote. Design by G. Jonaitis

Ketvirtos laidos banknoto giljoðas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Guilloche of the banknote of the fourth issue. Design by G. Jonaitis

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trûkumas – ðeðëlinës fasado pusës ir skulptûros tonai panaðûs. Reikëjo truputá prigesinti pastato toniná intensyvumà ir kontrastingiau modeliuoti skulptûrà, o geriausiai bûtø buvæ jà atspausdinti daug tamsesne ir neutralesne spalva, o ne tokia atvira ir ðviesia raudona. Pagerëjo ne tik banknoto vaizdas, padaugëjo ir jo apsaugos priemoniø. Ðalia anksèiau iðvardytø áterptos dar kelios naujos: originalus, poeto temai tinkantis sutapimo þenklas – knyga su plunksna, punktyrinis apsauginis siûlelis su mikrotekstu ir mikroperforacija. Labai pagraþëjo banknoto spalvø gama, ypaè averso. Ankstesnæ neðvarià rudà spalvà pakeitë roþinës, rudos ir tamsiai rudos spalvø sàskambis, iliuminuojamas ryðkesnës raudonos. Blogiau atrodo reverse vyraujanèios þydra, ðalta raudona ir blyðki oranþinë spalvos. Taigi po ilgø peripetijø 20 litø banknotas tapo nepriekaiðtingai sukomponuotu pinigu.

of the building should have been subdued and the Statue should have been modelled more contrastingly, and the best solution would have been printing it in a much darker and neutral colour rather than in the open light red. Not only the appearance of the banknote improved but its security features grew in number as well. Apart from those specified above, a few new ones were introduced: an original see-through feature matching the subject of the poet, a book with a stylus, a windowed security thread with a microtext and microperforation. The banknote became much more beautiful in its range of colours, especially on the front. The previous dirty brown colour was replaced by a combination of pink, brown and dark brown, illuminated by a more vivid red. Thus, after many changes, the 20 litas banknote developed into a note of impeccable arrangement.

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Penkiasdeðimties litø banknotas Fifty Litas Banknote

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Dailininkas Rimvydas Bartkus sukûrë 50 litø banknotà, jame áamþintas J. Basanavièius. Lietuviø tautos patriarchu vadinamo Jono Basanavièiaus (1851– 1927 m.) asmenybë – populiari tarpukario Lietuvoje, ignoruota okupacijos metais – po Atgimimo vël atgavo savo vietà tautos panteone. Gydytojas, daug energijos atidavæs Bulgarijos þmoniø sveikatos apsaugai, J. Basanavièius niekuomet neuþmirðo pagrindinio savo gyvenimo tikslo – tautinio atgimimo. Gyvendamas toli nuo Lietuvos, jis tapo pirmojo tautinio laikraðèio redaktoriumi, kovojo uþ lietuviø kalbos teises. 1905 m. gráþæs á Lietuvà, Vilniuje organizavo Pirmàjà lietuviø konferencijà, iðkëlusià lietuviø autonomijos carinëje Rusijoje idëjà, pirmininkavo Lietuvos Tarybai, 1918 m. vasario 16 d. paskelbusiai Nepriklausomybæ. Paraðë studijø istorijos, archeologijos, folkloro klausimais, rinko ir iðleido pasakø knygø. Jo nuopelnai tautai, kilni povyza, graþaus silueto iðraiðkinga galva gerai tiko didelio nominalo banknotui. Dideliø abejoniø nekelia ir reversui pasiûlytas Vilniaus Katedros su senamiesèio vaizdu motyvas. J. Basanavièius daug metø gyveno ir mirë Vilniuje, palaidotas Rasø kapinëse. Pirmuose eskizuose R. Bartkus kairëje reverso pusëje ákomponavo Vilniaus miesto herbo heraldinæ figûrà – ðv. Kristoforà su kûdikëliu Kristumi ant peèiø Katedros aikðtës ir senamiesèio fone. Tokia kompozicija gal ir ádomesnë, taèiau ji neatitiko ið anksto nustatytos komponavimo schemos, ir skulptûros teko atsisakyti. Averso kompozicija iðtæsta horizontaliai, ðá áspûdá dar labiau padidina deðiniame kraðte ákomponuotas portretas ir per visà banknoto ilgá ryðkia linija atskirta ðvelniø ðiltø spalvø tautinë ornamento juosta su tekstu ir nominalo skaièiais. Ðviesus banknotas kairëje pusëje pamaþu tamsëja, ir deðinëje, tamsiame lauke, ðvieèia tik veidas. Barzdos ir veido faktûra kontrastuoja su lygia, tamsia aprangos ir fono dëme. Peèiai ir nugara beveik lieèia banknoto kraðtà, vëlesnëse laidose tai buvo pataisyta – uþ portreto palikta daugiau erdvës. Raiþytos saulutës fragmentas, iðkylantis ið ornamento juostos, neuþgoþia portreto, o tik sudaro jaukø fonà nominalo skaièiui. Didelis, ðiek tiek nupjautas saulutës apskritimas lyg ir provokuoja jo centre ákomponuoti skaièius, taèiau dailininkas já pakëlë aukðtyn ir kairiau, tuo visai kompozicijai suteikdamas netikëtumo áspûdá. Jei ði darni kompozicija bûtø buvusi tinkamai, pagal pinigø gamybos reikalavimus parengta spaudai, uþpildyta banknotams bûdingomis giljoðo struktûromis, áterptos apsaugos priemonës, profesionaliai iðraiþyta portreto graviûra, tai mes 1991 m. jau galëjome turëti puikaus dizaino banknotà. Reverso kompozicija ne tokia racionali. Jau pats sumanymas, kai banknote lieka tik peizaþas, palydimas nedideliø nominalo skaièiø ir neryðkiø tekstø, sunkiai suderinamas su visiems áprastu banknotu. Banknotas – sudëtinga, daugiasluoksnë idëjiniø komponentø ir apsaugos priemoniø kompozicija. Ðiuo atveju tai tik peizaþas, davæs pagrindà daug emocijø sukëlusiai vëlesnës laidos banknoto graviûrai. Dailininkas neásigilino á Pilies gatvës kampiniø namø architektûros formø ávairovæ, nepajuto senamiesèio stogø ir bokðtø ritmo. Pieðinyje

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The designer Rimvydas Bartkus created the 50 litas banknote commemorating Jonas Basanavièius. The personality of Jonas Basanavièius (1851–1927), called the patriarch of the Lithuanian nation, which was popular in the interwar Lithuania and neglected during the years of occupation, regained its place in the Pantheon of the nation. Living far away from Lithuania, Basanavièius became the editor of the first national paper and fought for the rights of the Lithuanian language. On his return to Lithuania in 1905, he organised the First Conference of the Lithuanians in Vilnius, which put forward the idea of the autonomy of the Lithuanians within czarist Russia; he also chaired the Council of Lithuania, which declared independence on 16 February 1918. His merits for the nation, noble carriage, and the beautiful silhouette of his expressive head fitted well for a banknote of a high denomination. The motive of Vilnius Cathedral with a view on the Old Town, proposed for the back, does not raise great doubts either. Basanavièius lived for many years and died in Vilnius; he was buried in the Rasos cemetery. In his first sketches, Bartkus inserted the heraldic figure of the coat of arms of Vilnius, St Christopher with the baby Christ on his shoulders, against the background of the Cathedral Square and the Old Town. Such a composition was possibly more interesting; however, it did not correspond to the a priori established layout scheme and therefore the sculpture had to be removed. The arrangement of the front extends horizontally; the impression is still strengthened by the portrait placed on the right side of the banknote and a national ornamental band in soft warm colours with the text and denomination numerals, separated by a distinct line along the full length of the banknote. The banknote, light on the left, gradually darkens and on the right side only the face is shining against a dark background. The pattern of the beard and face contrasts with the plain, dark patch of the clothes and the background. The shoulders and the back nearly touch the edge of the banknote, which was corrected in subsequent issues by leaving more space behind the portrait. A fragment of a carved daisy rising out of the ornamental band does not dominate over the portrait making only an agreeable background for the denomination numeral. The large, slightly cut-off circle of the daisy seems to provoke placing numerals in the centre, yet the designer pushed it upwards and more to the left thereby giving an impression of novelty to the whole composition. Should this harmonious composition had been duly prepared for printing in observance of the requirements for currency production, filled with guilloche structures peculiar to notes, with security features inserted and a professionally cut engraving of the portrait, we could have had a banknote of perfect design as early as in 1991. The composition of the back is not so rational. The very idea when the banknote bears just a landscape accompanied by small denomination numerals and vague texts is hardly reconcilable with a conventional banknote. The designer did not go deep into the diversity of

Banknoto projekto eskizas. Dail. R. Bartkus

Sketch for the banknote’s design by R. Bartkus

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Pirmos laidos banknotas. Dail. R. Bartkus

Banknote of the first issue. Design by R. Bartkus

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Antros laidos banknotas. Dail. R. Bartkus

Banknote of the second issue. Design by R. Bartkus

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Vilniaus Katedros aikðtë. Fotogr. A. Sutkus

Vilnius Cathedral Square. Photo by A. Sutkus

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Vilniaus Katedros aikðtës graviûros negatyvas

Negative of the engraving of Vilnius Cathedral Square

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Banknoto reverso projekto eskizas. Dail. G. Jonaitis Banknoto reverso projektas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Sketch for the banknote’s design by G. Jonaitis Design of the banknote’s back by G. Jonaitis

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Vilniaus Katedra ir Gedimino kalnas. Fotogr. G. Jonaitis

Vilnius Cathedral and Gediminas Hill. Photo by G. Jonaitis

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matome nykiø ir nuobodþiø stogø plokðtumas, neiðlaikytas Katedros proporcijas, taèiau visa tai paskendæ auksiniame romantiðkame rûke, atitraukianèiame dëmesá nuo detaliø. Visos peizaþo klaidos ypaè iðryðkëjo, kai vëlesnës to paties banknoto laidos graveris, niekad nematæs Vilniaus, mechaniðkai tiksliai, ðaltomis techninio brëþinio linijomis nukopijavo ðá pieðiná. Jame neliko në krislelio Vilniaus dvasios – nuobodþioje pusdykumiø stepëje matësi tik besikurianti beveidë gyvenvietë su Katedra ir varpine pirmame plane. Abi banknoto pusës, tarsi norint pabrëþti jø paveiksliðkà charakterá, árëmintos nestoru dvigubu linijø rëmeliu. Pirmos dvi ðio nominalo banknotø laidos buvo atspausdintos USBC. Apyvartoje 1991 m. laidos banknotai iðsilaikë vos kelis mënesius, neuþilgo buvo iðimti ið apyvartos ir iðleista tos paèios kompozicijos nauja 1993 m. banknotø laida. R. Bartkui iðvykus ið Lietuvos, banknotà tobulinti pavesta G. Jonaièiui. Jis prisimena: „Jokiø ápareigojimø kà nors nupieðti neturëjau (manau, kad kompanija banknotus suprojektavo ið pirminiø originalø). Kartu su R. Miknevièiumi keletà kartø koregavome pateikiamus pavyzdþius, bet ðneka buvo tik apie spalvas, kadangi jokiø kalbø apie grafines struktûras, jø keitimà ar tobulinimà nebuvo“. Naujame banknote daug giljoðo struktûros elementø. Kompozicija sumargëjo, taèiau ágavo banknotui bûdingà vaizdà. Neblogai iðgraviruotas J. Basanavièiaus portretas. Veidui, plaukams, barzdai, ðvarkui surasta savita linijø struktûra, puikiai perduodanti jø skirtingà plastikà ir kartu sudaranti vientisà meistriðkai iðraiþytà portretà. Graviûros toninis intensyvumas kartu su horizontaliomis juostomis banknotui suteikia gyvybës ir kontrastingumo, iðkelia portretà virð kitø komponentø. Sumaþintas saulutës siluetas, be to, ji tapo plokðèiu ornamentu ir nebeturi anksèiau buvusiø ryðkiø sàsajø su lietuviðkø verpsèiø ornamentika. Didelis nominalo skaièius, komponuojamas tiksliai virð saulutës centro, atrodo lyg per neapsiþiûrëjimà pakilæs. Spalvø gama taip pat gerokai pasikeitë. Buvæs saulëtos geltonos ir ðiltos þalios spalvos sàskambis dabar virto ðviesios ochros, prigesintos oranþinës ir tamsiai rudos spalvos deriniu. Banknotas nuo ankstesnio skiriasi ne tik iðvardytais pakeitimais, svarbiausia, kad jame jau yra banknotui bûdingø elementø ir tam tikrø apsaugos priemoniø. Ðalia ankstesnëje laidoje buvusio vandenþenklio Vyèio jame jau áterptas apsauginis siûlelis su mikrotekstu, atspausdintas plika akimi nematomas, taèiau ultravioletinëje ðviesoje liuminescuojantis skaièius, sutapimo þenklas ir kt. Banknotas iðbuvo apyvartoje iki 1998 m., kol Vokietijos spaustuvëje Giesecke & Devrient GmbH buvo pagamintas treèias ðio nominalo variantas. Rengiant naujà laidà, Lietuvos banko specialistai pasiûlë perkomponuoti dël Katedros proporcijø, beveidþio senamiesèio ir techninio pieðinio primityvaus charakterio kritikos sulaukusá banknotà. Kompozicijos autoriaus Lietuvoje nebuvo, todël banknotà perprojektuoti pakviestas G. Jonaitis. Jo pagrindinë uþduotis buvo, ið esmës nekeièiant averso, sutvarkyti kritikuotà reversà. Po ilgø ieðkojimø G. Jonaitis nusprendë pakeisti þiûrëjimo á Katedrà taðkà. Be jokios abejonës,

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architectural forms of the houses on the corner of Pilies Street and did not feel the rhythm of the roofs and towers of the Old Town. In the drawing, we see the planes of dreary and dull roofs, distorted proportions of the Cathedral, yet all this is clouded in a romantic golden mist, which distracts one’s attention from the details. All mistakes in the landscape became particularly obvious when the engraver of the subsequent issue of the same banknote, who had never seen Vilnius, made a mechanically precise copy of the drawing after the cold lines of its technical drawing. The drawing reflected nothing of the spirit of Vilnius: in a dull semi-desert steppe, only a faceless settlement in the process of formation could be seen with the Cathedral and the belfry in the foreground. Both sides of the banknote, as if to emphasise their picture-like nature, have a thin double line frame. The first two issues of the banknote of this denomination were printed by the USBC. The banknotes of 1991 were in circulation just for a few months. In a short while they were withdrawn from circulation and re-issued in 1993 in the same design. When Bartkus left Lithuania, Jonaitis was contracted to improve the banknote. He recalls: “I did not have any obligations to draw anything (I think, the company designed the banknotes in accordance with their primary originals). Together with Miknevièius we adjusted the presented specimens several times, but it was just colours that we considered as there was no talk about graphic structures, their modification or improvement”. The new banknote has many elements of guilloche structure. Its composition became somewhat motley, yet typical of a banknote in appearance. The portrait of Basanavièius represents a rather good engraving. A peculiar structure of lines was found for the face, hair, beard and jacket, conveying perfectly their different plastics and at the same time making an integral masterly engraved portrait. The tonal intensity of the engraving along with the horizontal bands add life and contrast to the banknote, bringing the portrait over other components. The shape of the daisy is contracted; moreover, it became a flat ornament possessing no previously distinctive associations with the ornamentation of Lithuanian spindles. The large denomination numeral, arranged exactly above the centre of the daisy, seems as if lifted by mistake. The range of colours also changed substantially. The banknote differs from its predecessor not only in the modifications listed above. Most importantly, it already contains elements peculiar to a banknote and certain security features. Apart from the watermark Vytis present in the previous issue, it has an embedded security thread with a microtext, a denomination numeral printed in invisible inks fluorescent under ultraviolet light, a see-through feature, etc. The banknote circulated until 1998, when the third version of this denomination was printed by the German company Giesecke & Devrient GmbH. In preparing the new issue, Bank of Lithuania experts suggested rearranging the banknote, which had attracted criticism for the pro-

J. Basanavièius. Dail. G. Jonaièio pieðinys

J. Basanavièius. Drawing by G. Jonaitis

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Banknoto averso projektas. Dail. G. Jonaitis J. Basanavièiaus portreto graviûra

Design of the banknote’s back by G. Jonaitis Engraving of the portrait of J. Basanavièius

sprendimas buvo teisingas: á matymo laukà pakliuvo ir kiti ne maþiau svarbûs Lietuvos þmonëms objektai – Gedimino pilies bokðtas, Trijø kryþiø monumentas ir naujai pastatytas paminklas kunigaikðèiui Gediminui. Kietas pastatø linijas suminkðtino Ðventaragio slëná supanèiø kalvø þaluma, peizaþas tapo ideologiðkai talpesnis, o þiûrëjimo taðkas áprastas þmonëms. Atsirado plati dirva grafiniø iðraiðkos priemoniø ávairovei. Abejoniø kelia dailininko baimë atitrûkti nuo natûros, pastangos iðlaikyti matematiðkai tikslias Katedros, Gedimino bokðto, Trijø kryþiø ir Gedimino paminklo tarpusavio proporcijas. Banknotas – ne fotografija, o simbolis, ir èia reikëtø ignoruoti nepalankias natûros diktuojamas sàlygas. Autorius ðiek tiek padidino Tris kryþius, bet tai nelabai padëjo: Gedimino paminklas ir Trys kryþiai sunkiai áþiûrimi. Nekrentanti á akis stilizacija, neþymus architektûriniø formø apibendrinimas, vizualiniø ir dvasiniø savybiø paryðkinimas pastatà tik pakylëtø mûsø akyse, suteiktø jam didingumo. Perdëtos autoriaus pastangos parodyti smulkias, nereikðmingas pastato detales, siekimas dokumentiðkai tiksliai jas atvaizduoti apkrovë Katedros pieðiná nereikalinga grafika, kuri uþtamsino jos vaizdà ir suliejo su praktiðkai labai artimos tonacijos, nors ir kito charakterio kalnø augmenijos faktûra. Tamsus varpinës bokðtas ir siauromis kolonomis bei piliastrø ruoþeliais vertikaliai suliniuota Katedra nesudaro áprasto ðviesaus, monumentalaus ansamblio áspûdþio. Nevertëjo taip kruopðèiai iðbraiþyti aikðtës reljefà formuojanèiø laipteliø, parapetø ir jø perspektyvos kampø, aðtriai ásirëþianèiø net á ornamento juostà. Kurdamas ðiuos banknotus, G. Jonaitis jau buvo patyræs banknotø dizaineris, neblogai susipaþinæs su jø gamybos technologiniais subtilumais, lankæsis ne vienoje uþsienio banknotø spaustuvëje. Jis puikiai suprato, ko reikia, kad dailininko pieðinys taptø banknotu, daug dëmesio skyrë giljoðo struktûroms. Buvau liudininkas, kiek autorius vargo su struktûra, dengianèia dangø Katedros peizaþe. Pagal jo sumanymà tai

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portions of the Cathedral, a faceless-looking Old Town and the primitive character of the technical drawing. As the designer of the banknote was away from Lithuania, Jonaitis was invited to redesign the banknote. His main task was to bring to order the criticised back without virtually changing the front. After a long search for a solution Jonaitis decided to change the point of view of the Cathedral. Doubtlessly, he took the right decision: first of all, the field of vision covered other objects also no less significant for the Lithuanian people, such as Gediminas Tower, the Hill of Three Crosses and the newly-erected monument to Grand Duke Gediminas. The hard lines of the buildings were softened by the green of the hills surrounding the Ðventaragis Valley, the landscape became more capacious ideologically and the point of view became more usual. As a result, much room was created for a diversity of means of graphic expression. The designer’s fear of moving away from nature, efforts to keep the mathematically precise relative proportions between the Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, the Hill of Three Crosses and the monument to Grand Duke Gediminas remain open to doubt. A banknote is not a photograph, it is a symbol, and unfavourable conditions dictated by nature should be neglected. The author slightly enlarged the Three Crosses but it was little use as the monument to Grand Duke Gediminas and the Three Crosses are hardly visible. A stylisation that does not strike the eye, a slight summary of the architectural forms, and a stress on visual and spiritual qualities would make the building seem elated in our eyes and add grandeur to it. The author’s exaggerated efforts to feature small, insignificant architectural details, his effort to depict them too precisely filled the drawing of the Cathedral with unnecessary graphics, which darkened its image and fused it with the pattern of mountain flora of practically very similar toning yet of different character. The dark Belfry and the Cathedral, lined vertically with narrow columns and stripes of pillars, does not create the

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Banknoto fragmentas – nominalo skaièius ir giljoðas

Detail from the banknote: denomination numeral and guilloche

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Banknoto fragmentas ultravioletinëje ðviesoje

Detail of the banknote under ultraviolet light

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turëjo bûti ritmiðkai banguojanèios, aiðkiai matomos juostos, bet atspausdintame banknote dangus iðëjo neaiðki monotoniðka plokðtuma. Banknoto averso kompozicija iðliko ta pati, taèiau labai pakito bendras banknoto vaizdas. Neliko ryðkiø geometriniø ornamentø. Horizontalios liaudiðko charakterio audinio juostos sudaro ramø fonà nominalo skaièiams ir tekstams. J. Basanavièiaus portretas iðgraviruotas ið naujo ir, palyginti su ankstesniu, yra gerokai smulkesnio, taèiau kai kuriose vietose labiau sumarginanèio negu iðryðkinanèio seno þmogaus veido plastikà, modeliavimo. Monotoniðkas, neádomus, portrete uþimantis gana daug vietos yra barzdos ir ûsø pieðinys. Neþiûrint to, portretas iðraiþytas neblogai – kilnus tautos patriarcho vaizdas atpaþástamas ir artimas, nors jam, beje, kaip ir visai kupiûrai, trûksta reljefiðkumo ir kontrastingumo. Visas banknoto toninis sprendimas monotoniðkas, be intensyvumo. Atspausdinus portretà tamsesne ruda spalva, paryðkinus nominalo skaièius, ypaè didájá – oranþiná, banknotas bûtø lengviau atpaþástamas. Juk taip svarbu, kad pagrindiniai banknoto atpaþinimo elementai bûtø kontrastingi ir matomi ið pirmo þvilgsnio. Banknote gausu apsaugos priemoniø. Pirmiausia paminëtinas vandenþenklis – J. Basanavièiaus portretas. Abiejose pusëse ávairiose vietose iðdëstyti mikrotekstai, sutapimo þenklas, atpaþinimo þenklas akliesiems, nematomais daþais atspausdinti nominalo skaièiai, florescuojantys ultravioletinëje ðviesoje, ir kiti komponentai. Á banknoto popieriø áterptas apsauginis siûlelis su mikrotekstu punktyru ritmiðkai iðkyla á pavirðiø ir fluorescuoja vaivorykðtës spalvomis. Smulkiausiø mikroskopiniø linijëliø daugiaspalvës giljoðo struktûros vos áþiûrimos plika akimi.

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usual impression of a light, monumental ensemble. It was a bad idea to draw so assiduously the stairs forming the relief of the square, parapets and their angles of perspective cutting sharply through the ornamental band. The banknote’s front composition remained unchanged but its general look changed substantially. The distinct geometric ornaments disappeared. The horizontal folk-style strips of cloth provided a quiet background for the denomination numerals and lettering. The portrait of Basanavièius was re-engraved and, compared to the previous one, became of much finer modelling, which, however, made the plastics of the old man’s face heterogeneous in some places rather than exposing it. Despite that, the portrait is engraved pretty well: the noble image of the Patriarch of the Nation is easily recognisable and close, but, like the entire note, it lacks relief and contrast. Printing the portrait in a darker brown colour, making the denomination numerals more distinct, especially the big, orange one, would have made the banknote easier to recognise. The banknote has plenty of security features. First of all the watermark, portrait of Basanavièius, should be noted. Both sides have incorporated microtexts, a see-through feature, a recognition sign for the blind, denomination numerals printed in invisible inks fluorescent under ultraviolet light, as well as other components in different places. The security thread with a windowed microtext, embedded in the paper of the banknote, surfaces rhythmically and fluoresces in rainbow colours. The multicolour guilloche structures in finest microscopic lines are scarcely visible with the naked eye.

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Ðimto litø banknotas One Hundred Litas Banknote

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Dailininkas Rytis Valantinas prisimena, kad jis nedalyvavo susirinkime, kuriame buvo paskirstyti banknotø nominalai bûsimiems projektuotojams, ir jam liko vienas ið didþiausiø tada planuotø iðleisti banknotø – 500 litø. Nuspræsta jame áamþinti S. Daukantà. Dailininkas sakosi ið pradþiø neapsidþiaugæs dël didelës atsakomybës ir dël negausios ikonografijos. Ásitraukæs á darbà, apsistojo prie Vilniaus universiteto architektûros ansamblio. Simonas Daukantas (1793–1864 m.) – pirmosios Lietuvos istorijos lietuviø kalba autorius. Jo knygose „Darbai senøjø lietuviø ir þemaièiø“, „Lietuvos istorija“, „Bûdai senøjø lietuviø, kalnënø ir þemaièiø“ apraðoma Lietuva iki Liublino unijos, jos gamta, paproèiai ir politinë santvarka, keliamas Lietuvos politinis savarankiðkumas, kaip svarbiausia tautos gyvavimo sàlyga. Rinko liaudies dainas bei pasakas, paraðë ir iðleido praktiniø knygeliø – patarimø valstieèiams apie bitininkystæ, sodininkystæ ir kitomis jiems aktualiomis temomis. Jo knygos turëjo didelá poveiká XIX a. lietuviø tautiniam judëjimui. S. Daukantas ir dabar labai populiarus, jo portretas puikiai tiko banknotui. Jokiø abejoniø nekëlë ir reverso motyvas – Vilniaus universitete istorikas mokësi, jo kûriniuose Vilniui, kaip LDK sostinei, skiriama nemaþai dëmesio. Su S. Daukanto portretu ir Universiteto ansamblio panorama suprojektuotas 500 litø banknoto eskizas buvo pritaikytas 100 litø banknotui. Pakeistas tik spalvinis sprendimas, vietoje roþinës – þalia spalva. Susipaþinæs su ne itin gausia S. Daukanto ikonografija, R. Valantinas ið karto pasirinko dailininko Jono Zenkevièiaus tapytà portretà. Ðis istorikui dar gyvam esant ið natûros tapytas portretas yra labai populiarus, kiti kurti jau vëliau ávairiø dailininkø ir daþniausiai vadovaujantis minëto dailininko tapytu portretu. XIX a. viduryje realistine tradicija nutapytas portretas gerai perduoda S. Daukanto asmenybæ ir to laikotarpio rimtá. Pagal numatytà banknotø komponavimo schemà, portretas ákomponuotas deðiniame kraðte, istorikas taip pat truputá pasisukæs á deðinæ, taigi – nusisukæs nuo visø svarbiausiø banknoto komponentø. Pagal kompozicijos kanonus tai negerai, portretà reikëjo perpieðti. Taèiau skubëta, nebuvo kada uþsiimti tokiomis smulkmenomis. Tai buvo padaryta vëliau, rengiant kitos laidos projektà. Portretas didelis, virðugalviu jis dengia virðutinës ornamento juostos tekstà. Graviûra iðraiþyta labai profesionaliai. Graveris puikiai perteikë istoriko panaðumà, bendrà nuotaikà, kiekvienai detalei surado átikinamà ir savità linijø tëkmæ. Storosios linijos, plastiðkai vingiuojanèios pagal drabuþio raukðles, gerai perteikia sunkø surduto audiná, plonosios, vos prisilieèianèios prie balto popieriaus, – marðkinius, o punktyrinës ir storesnës susikryþiuojanèos – iðkilø veido reljefà. Tamsiai þalios spalvos graviûra, atspausdinta giliaspaude, yra aktyviausias, labiausiai kontrastuojantis banknoto akcentas. Kaip ir kituose banknotuose, visus komponentus á nedalomà visumà jungia dvi ornamento juostos. 100 litø banknote tai – gilaus tono su vos áþiûrimomis lapø siluetø linijomis sunki àþuolo lapø pynë. Ji sudaro palankø fonà ðviesiems tekstams bei nominalo skaièiams ir papildo ideologiniø komponentø arsenalà. Iðskirtiná dëmesá dailinin-

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The designer Rytis Valantinas recalls being absent from the meeting at which banknote denominations were distributed among their future designers, and the banknote of one of the highest denominations at the time, 500 litas, was left for him. The decision was to commemorate Simonas Daukantas on it. The author says at first he felt far from happy because of the great responsibility and scarce iconography. When he got engaged in the work, he settled on the architectural ensemble of Vilnius University. Simonas Daukantas (1793–1864) was the author of the first history of Lithuania in the Lithuanian language. His books The Deeds of Ancient Lithuanians and Samogitians, History of Lithuania and The Character of Ancient Lithuanians and Samogitians describe Lithuania before the Lublin Union, its nature, customs and the political system, and put forward the idea of Lithuania’s political independence as the essential condition for the existence of the nation. Daukantas has remained popular until nowadays and his portrait suited perfectly for the banknote. The motif of the back raised no doubt either: the historian studied at Vilnius University and in his works focussed much of attention on Vilnius as the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. For the one hundred litas banknote, the sketch of the 500 litas banknote designed with a portrait of Simonas Daukantas and a panorama of Vilnius University was used. Only the colouring solution was changed from pink to green. Having familiarised himself with the not too abundant iconography of Daukantas, Valantinas at once chose a portrait painted by Jonas Zenkevièius. The portrait, painted in the mid-19th century in the realistic tradition, well reflects the personality of Daukantas and the dignity of the period. In observance of the established scheme for banknote layout, the portrait is placed on the right side; the historian also appears slightly turned to the right, away from all the key components of the banknote. According to the canons of composition, this is unacceptable and the portrait had to be redesigned, which was done later, preparing the design for the next issue. The portrait is large, with the crown of the head covering the lettering on the upper ornamental band. The engraving is cut very professionally. The engraver perfectly conveyed the resemblance to the historian and the general spirit, and found a persuasive and peculiar flow of lines for every detail. The coarse lines, winding plastically along the creases of the clothing, well convey the hardness of the cloth of the frock coat; the thin ones, scarcely touching white paper are used for the shirt, and those dotted and thicker intersecting lines represent the prominent relief of the face. The deep green engraving printed in intaglio is the most active, most contrasting accent of the banknote. Similar to other banknotes, two ornamental bands join all components into an integral whole. Each band in the 100 litas banknote is a heavy deep-toned garland of oak leaves with scarcely discernible lines of leaf silhouettes. It provides a favourable background for the light texts and denomination numerals, and adds to the range of ideological components. The designer places exceptional emphasis on

S. Daukanto portretas. 1850 m. Dail. J. Zenkevièius

Portrait of S. Daukantas, 1850. Painting by J. Zenkevièius

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500 litø banknoto eskizai. Dail. R. Valantinas

Sketches for the 500 litas banknote. Design by R. Valantinas

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100 litø banknoto eskizai. Dail. R. Valantinas

Sketches for the banknote. Design by R. Valantinas

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Vilniaus universiteto ansamblis. Fotogr. J. Polis

Vilnius University Ensemble. Photo by J. Polis

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Vilniaus universiteto ansamblio graviûra pirmos laidos banknote

Engraving of Vilnius University Ensemble on the first-issue banknote

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kas rodo ir paprastai pinigø kompozicijoje neiðdidinamam valstybës herbui. Èia jis ryðkiu akcentu komponuojamas á patá banknoto ir ið giljoðo struktûrø sudarytos ratilais didëjanèios elipsës centrà. Kai R. Valantinas kûrë projektà, dar nebuvo patvirtintas Vyèio etalonas ir valstybæ reprezentavo tarpukario Lietuvos monetas puoðæs J. Zikaro sukurtas Vytis, todël ðiame banknote matome nupieðtà jo skulptûriná reljefà. Tai buvo daroma ir kitose 100, 200 ir 500 litø banknotø laidose – nors jau buvo patvirtintas dabartinis valstybës herbas, buvo pieðiamas J. Zikaro sukurtas Vytis. Tiesa, monetose jis horizontalus, o banknote autorius já pasuko ástriþai aukðtyn, turbût siekdamas suteikti verþlumo. Yra dar viena detalë, aiðkiai pasiskolinta ið prieðkario Lietuvos pinigø, tai – ovalo formos laukas vandenþenkliui. Reverse dominuoja Vilniaus universiteto architektûros ansamblis su iðkiliais, deja, kompozicijoje vos matomais Ðv. Jonø baþnyèios bokðtu ir fasadu. Þiûrint ið idëjinës pusës, autoriaus pasirinkimas nekelia abejoniø, techniniu poþiûriu – taip pat. Ðimtmeèiais ið ávairiø architektûros stiliø pastatø susiformavæs ansamblis labai tiko banknoto pieðiniui. Deja, rezultatas nevisiðkai sëkmingas, ir daugiausiai dël to kaltas pats dailininkas, kompozicijos pagrindu pasirinkæs didþiulæ, kelis Vilniaus kvartalus apimanèià panoramà. Jam paèiam pritrûko jëgø ir kantrybës, kad parodytø kiekvieno namo charakteringus bruoþus, iðryðkintø jo detales, atskirtø pastatus vienà nuo kito, o kà jau bekalbëti apie Vilniaus nepaþástanèiø graveriø darbà. Atsitiko tas pats, kaip ir su senamiesèio pastatais Katedros fone pirmos laidos 50 litø banknote. Baþnyèia, M. K. Sarbievijaus ir M. Poèobuto kiemus supantys pastatai dar turi individualiø detaliø, o toliau – vienodi, migloje skæstantys stogai ir sienos su nuobodþiomis langø kiaurymëmis. Dailininkui vertëjo apsiriboti trimis didþiaisiais kiemais, sudaranèiais ansamblio branduolá, – Centriniu, M. K. Sarbievijaus ir M. Poèobuto. Maþesnis fragmentas bûtø leidæs labiau iðdidinti statinius, parodyti daugiau charakteringø detaliø. Pagerëtø ir banknoto kompozicija. Beje, apie ornamento juostas: kodël jos secesijos stiliaus? S. Daukantas gyveno gerokai anksèiau iki XIX a. ir XX a. sandûros, kai visame pasaulyje suklestëjo ðis stilius. Turime ir Vilniuje vienà kità pastatà su secesijos poþymiais, taèiau Universiteto ansamblyje nëra në vieno. Ornamentas galëjo bûti renesanso, baroko, klasicizmo, lietuviø liaudies, netgi be aiðkios stilistikos, bet secesijos stilius niekaip nepateisinamas. 1991 m. laidos banknotas atspausdintas USBC spaustuvëje. Toje paèioje spaustuvëje buvo atspausdinti ir 1994 m. laidos to paties dizaino 100 litø banknotai, tik ádiegta papildoma apsaugos priemonë – apsauginis siûlelis. Dël nepakankamos apsaugos ðis banknotas á apyvartà nebuvo iðleistas. 2000 m. laidos 100 litø banknote, atspausdintame Orell Füssli Security Printing Ltd spaustuvëje, R. Valantinas iðtaisë nemaþai klaidø, nors ir ne visas. Dailininkas vykusiai perpieðë S. Daukanto portretà ir Lietuvos banko specialistø praðymu apsuko já á kairæ. Dabar portretas geriau ásikomponuoja á banknoto staèiakampá. Nemaþiau meistriðkai ið naujo perraiþyta portreto graviûra, surdutas, kuriame ákomponuota apsaugos

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the state emblem, which usually is not enlarged in banknote compositions. Here, as a distinct accent, it is placed in the very centre of the banknote and in a guilloche-structured ellipsis swelling in circles. At the time when Valantinas worked on the design, the standard for Vytis had not been approved yet and Vytis by Juozas Zikaras, which decorated the Lithuanian coins of the inter-war period, represented the state; therefore we see his sculptural relief on the banknote under review. There is one more detail clearly borrowed from the pre-war Lithuanian money: an oval-shaped space for the watermark. The back features the architectural ensemble of Vilnius University with the prominent but, unfortunately, scarcely visible tower and fašade of the Church of St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist. From the ideological point of view, the author’s choice raises no doubts, nor from the technical one. The ensemble, which evolved to its present form in the course of centuries from buildings of different architectural styles, was a suitable subject for a drawing on the banknote. Unfortunately, the result was not quite successful, mostly through the fault of the designer himself, who chose a vast panorama, taking up several blocks of Vilnius, for the basis of his composition. The author himself lacked energy and patience to show the characteristic features of every house, expose their details, and separate the buildings from each other, not to mention the work of engravers, unfamiliar with Vilnius. The same thing happened as with the Old Town buildings in the background of the Cathedral designed on the 50 litas banknote of the first issue. The Church and the buildings surrounding the Sarbievijus and Poèobutas Courtyards still have individual details, whereas beyond them are uniform roofs shrouded in a mist and walls with dull hollows of windows. The designer would have done better to limit himself with the three largest courtyards forming the kernel of the ensemble: the Great, Sarbievijus, and Poèobutas courtyards. A smaller fragment would have allowed enlarging the buildings and revealing more characteristic details. Also, the banknote’s composition would have improved. The banknote of 1991 was printed by the USBC. In 1994, the USBC, again, printed the 100 litas banknotes of the same design; only an additional security feature, a security thread, was embedded. Due to its insufficient security, the banknote was not put into circulation. In the 100 litas note of 2000 issue, which was printed by the Swiss company Orell Füssli Security Printing Ltd, Rytis Valantinas eliminated a number of mistakes, though not all of them. The designer succeeded in redrawing the portrait of Daukantas and upon request from the experts of the Bank of Lithuania turned it to the left. Now the portrait appears better positioned in the rectangle of the banknote. The newly cut engraving of the portrait and the frock coat in which a security feature is incorporated are executed no less masterfully. On the dark outline of the garment the lines change their direction; when we look at them at a certain angle, we see the numeral 100. The front of the banknote produces the impression of a credible

Pirmos laidos banknotas. Dail. R. Valantinas Neiðleistas á apyvartà 1994 m. laidos banknotas. Dail R. Valantinas

Banknote of the first issue. Design by R. Valantinas Banknote of 1994 issue never put into circulation. Design by R. Valantinas

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Vilniaus universiteto ansamblio graviûra antros laidos banknote. Dail. R. Valantinas

Engraving of Vilnius University Ensemble on the second-issue banknote. Design by R. Valantinas

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S. Daukanto portretas. Dail. R. Valantino pieðinys

Portrait of S. Daukantas. Drawing by R. Valantinas

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S. Daukanto portreto graviûra pirmos laidos banknote

The engraving of the portrait of S. Daukantas on the first-issue banknote

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S. Daukanto portreto graviûros negatyvas pirmos laidos banknote

Negative of the engraving of the portrait of S. Daukantas on the first-issue banknote

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priemonë. Tamsiame drabuþio siluete linijos keièia kryptá, þiûrëdami á jas tam tikru kampu, matome skaièiø „100“. Banknoto aversas daro patikimo pinigo áspûdá, o apie reversà to pasakyti negalima. Jo kompozicija, negausûs pinigui bûdingi elementai daugiau asocijuojasi su atviruku. Spalvinë gama, kurioje vyrauja prieðingø poliø þalia ir raudona spalvos, nesudaro akiai malonaus harmoningo vaizdo. Po pirmos laidos autorius suprato nevisiðkai sëkmingai pasirinkæs panoramos ribas ir, rengdamas antros laidos projektà, stengësi klaidà iðtaisyti, taèiau tai darë neryþtingai. Jis gerokai susiaurino panoramà, apsiribojo centrinës dalies pastatais, bet ir ðioje kompozicijoje dailininkas priverstas labiau nutolusius pastatus skandinti á þalià rûkà. Pirmoje laidoje buvæs gana ryðkus giljoðas ðios laidos banknote tapo ámantresnis, subtilesniø spalvø ir struktûros. Portreto kairëje ði struktûra virsta lietuviðku audiniu, patamsëdamas jis sudaro fonà J. Zikaro sukurtam Vyèiui. Virðutinëje dalyje – S. Daukanto raðtø faksimilës fragmentas. Ypaè banknotà puoðia ádomus, pinigams bûdingas dviejø spalvø persipinanèiø linijø ornamentas, ið dalies dengiantis vandenþenkliui skirtà laukà. Jis suðvelnina grieþtà tamsaus ir ðviesaus plotø susikirtimà ir yra svarbi apsaugos priemonë – plonø linijø susikirtimas sunkiai nukopijuojamas. Ðalia iðdëstytos ir kitos apsaugos priemonës: du trikampiai atpaþinimo þenklai akliesiems, sutapimo þenklas, apsauginis siûlelis su mikrotekstu, mikroperforacija, specialiais, plika akimi nematomais daþais atspausdintas nominalo skaièius ir kt. Reverso pusëje esanti Ðv. Jonø baþnyèia ir varpinë ultravioletinëje ðviesoje ðvyti gelsva þalia spalva.

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note, which though cannot be said about its back. The range of colours, dominated by green and red, two colours from the opposing ends of the scale, does not create a harmonious picture pleasant to look at. After the first issue the author realised that his choice of the edges of the panorama had not been quite right and tried to correct the mistake when working on the design for the second issue; however, he was doing it without determination. He narrowed the panorama substantially, restricted himself with the buildings of the central part, but in this composition, again, he was forced to wrap the more distant objects in green mist. The rather distinct guilloche of the banknote of the first issue became more intricate in the banknote of the issue under review, acquired subtler colours and structure. To the left of the portrait, this structure turns into a Lithuanian woven fabric, which, as it darkens, serves as the background for Vytis of Zikaras’ design and its upper part features a facsimile fragment from the writings of Simonas Daukantas. The interesting ornament of interlacing two-colour lines typical of currency, partly covering the space of the watermark, is particularly decorative in this banknote. It softens the rigid intersection of the dark and light areas and serves as an important security feature: the pattern of thin lines is hard to copy. Other features are laid out nearby: two triangular recognition signs for the blind, a see-through feature, a security thread with a microtext, microperforation, the denomination numeral printed in invisible inks, etc. The Church of St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist and the Belfry on the back of the banknote fluoresce under ultraviolet light in yellowish-green.

S. Daukanto portreto graviûra antros laidos banknote

Engraving of the portrait of S. Daukantas on the second-issue banknote

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Dviejø ðimtø litø banknotas Two Hundred Litas Banknote

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Metams bëgant ir ásitvirtinant saviems pinigams, gerëjant ekonominei situacijai, atsirado bûtinybë turëti didesniø nominalø banknotø. Jø kompozicinë schema turëjo pratæsti didþiøjø nominalø banknotø serijà. Autoriumi buvo pasirinktas R. Valantinas, jau kûræs 100 litø banknotà ir sukaupæs tam tikrà patirtá. Projektuojamam 1997 m. laidos 200 litø banknotui pasirinktas Maþosios Lietuvos visuomenës veikëjas Vydûnas. Vydûnas (tikroji pavardë Vilhelmas Storosta, 1868–1953 m.) – þinomas tarpukario Lietuvos raðytojas ir filosofas, nepailstantis kovotojas uþ lietuviø teises ir kalbà Maþojoje Lietuvoje. 1895 m. jis ákûrë Tilþës lietuviø giedotojø draugijà, leido ir redagavo þurnalus bei laikraðèius, juose këlë filosofines þmogaus bûties problemas, aiðkino þmogiðkumo esmæ, pagrástà savimone bei intuicija, jautrumu gëriui ir groþiui. Savo filosofinëmis nuostatomis vadovavosi ir kultûrinëje veikloje, pagal jas kûrë savità pasyvaus pasiprieðinimo germanizacijai taktikà. Vydûnas sukûrë dramos veikalø, kurie buvo statomi Lietuvos teatruose. Karo pabaigoje raðytojas pasitraukë á Vokietijà, ten ir mirë. Rusø okupacijos metais buvo ignoruojamas ir mûsø þmonëms maþiau þinomas, taèiau atgimusioje Lietuvoje jo palikimas vël uþima deramà vietà. Savotiðkas skolos gràþinamas yra ir idëja já áamþinti 200 litø banknote. Tik pradëjus kurti banknotø projektus, Vydûno portretas buvo planuotas 10 litø banknotui. Taèiau jaunam dailininkui A. Mandeikai, kuris ëmësi já kurti, nepavyko pateikti kolegas átikinanèio projekto. Tada ypaè nesisekë komponuoti reversà, jo objektu buvo pasirinktas Klaipëdos uosto vaizdas. Sandëliai, molo perspektyva, priðvartuotas laivas atrodë per daug natûralistiðkai, neádomiai. Autorius mëgino komponuoti kitus Maþosios Lietuvos temai charakteringus motyvus – þvejo sodybà, krikðtus, þymesnius uostamiesèio pastatus, ðvyturá, taèiau eskizai vyresniø kolegø netenkino. Buvo nutarta 10 litø banknoto projektavimà perduoti G. Jonaièiui, o Vydûno portreto tuokart atsisakyti. Po keleriø metø ëmus projektuoti 200 litø banknotà su Vydûnu, reverso motyvo problema vël iðkilo ir, kaip prisimena projekto autorius R. Valantinas, jam teko pasukti galvà, kuriuo keliu eiti, „nuosekliai sekti Maþosios Lietuvos istoriografija ar orientuotis á laisvesná simbolá, pabrëþti valstybës geopolitines ambicijas vaizduojant Baltijos jûrà“. Neþiûrint A. Mandeikos nesëkmingø mëginimø sukomponuoti banknotà su Klaipëdos vaizdais, R. Valantinas ið pradþiø màstë panaðiai. Dailininkas prisimena: „Studijuodamas Klaipëdà, nesuradau ryðkesniø bruoþø. Iðkilo klausimas – vaizduoti miestà fragmentiðkame vokiðkos architektûros pavelde ar gilintis á uostà, pramonæ? Vydûno asmenybë, jo ðvietëjiðkumas, pasaulëjauta stumtelëjo filosofiðkumo link. Intuicija kuþdëjo, jog reikëtø apibendrinanèio simbolio. Nutariau pasirinkti charakteringà uosto simbolá – ðvyturá, nors tai ir nebuvo labai originalu. Archyviniai atvirukai ar nuotraukos ið laikraðèiø ir þurnalø apie Klaipëdos ðvyturá jûros fone manæs netenkino. Plastikos

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As the years passed and our currency gained importance, and the economic situation improved, a need for having banknotes of higher denominations arose. Their layout scheme was to extend the series of other high denomination banknotes. Rytis Valantinas, who had previously created the 100 litas banknote and accumulated certain experience, was selected as the designer. For the 200 litas banknote of 1997 issue, the public figure of Lithuania Minor – Vydûnas – was chosen. Vydûnas (real name Vilhelmas Storosta, 1868–1953) was an outstanding Lithuanian writer and philosopher of the inter-war period, an indefatigable fighter for the rights and language of the Lithuanians in Lithuania Minor. He established the Lithuanian Society of Psalmody of Tilsit in 1895, published and edited magazines and newspapers, in which he put forward philosophical problems of human existence, explained the essence of humanism based on self-consciousness and intuition, sensitivity to the good and beautiful. Just as the design of banknotes started, the portrait of Vydûnas was intended for the 10 litas banknote. However, the young artist Alvydas Mandeika, who undertook designing it, did not manage to submit a design that would convince his colleagues. Especially the arrangement of the back was poor, for which an image of Klaipëda seaport was chosen. The warehouses, the perspective of the pier and the moored ship looked too naturalistic and uninteresting. The author tried to arrange other motifs peculiar to the subject of Lithuania Minor, such as a fisherman’s homestead, krikðtas (a wooden grave marker made of one board), and more notable buildings of the seaport city, the lighthouse; yet the sketches did not satisfy the artist’s older colleagues. The decision was to pass the design of the 10 litas banknote over to Jonaitis and to replace the portrait of Vydûnas at the time. In a few years’ time, the design of the 200 litas banknote with a portrait of Vydûnas was undertaken and the problem of the motif on back emerged again. As the author of the design Valantinas recalls, he was obliged to use his brains which way to go, “to be consistent in using the historiography of Lithuania Minor or move towards a more liberal symbol, to stress the geopolitical ambitions of the state by depicting the Baltic Sea”. Despite the unsuccessful attempts of Mandeika at designing the banknote with images of Klapëda, Valantinas’ pattern of thinking was originally similar. The designer recalls: “In my studies of Klaipëda, I did not find features of higher peculiarity. The question was: to depict the city in the fragmentary German architectural heritage or to explore the subject of the port and industry? The personality of Vydûnas, his ideas of enlightenment and attitude to the world pushed me towards a philosophical approach. Intuitively I knew that some general symbol would serve my purpose. I decided to choose a characteristic symbol of a port, the lighthouse, although the idea was not very original. Archive cards or newspaper and magazine photographs

10 litø banknoto su Vydûno portretu eskizai. Dail. A. Mandeika

Sketches for the 10 litas banknote with the portrait of Vydûnas. Design by A. Mandeika

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Banknoto projekto eskizai. Dail. R. Valantinas

Sketches for the banknote’s design by R. Valantinas

atþvilgiu jie buvo nuobodoki, saldokai romantiðki. Norëjosi iðraiðkingesnio pieðinio, dramatiðkesnio siuþeto, tad nusiþengiau enciklopediniam tikslumui ir kûriau savo jûrà“. Vos pasirodþius banknotui, reverso vaizdas sulaukë atgarsio, kad ne ið tos pusës á molà plakasi bangos, ne ten ðvieèia ðvyturys. Ðiuo atveju dailininkui daug svarbiau bendra banknoto kompozicijos logika, o natûra, enciklopedinis tikslumas jam rûpi maþiausiai. Ne visi iki smulkmenø þino vaizduojamà peizaþà, o pinigus laikys rankose visi, ir labai svarbu, kad banknotas bûtø sukomponuotas profesionaliai nepriekaiðtingai. Èia jûra ir ðvyturys – simboliai, reiðkiantys lietuviðkus sentimentus jûrai, o ne peizaþas, tiksliai nupieðtas ið tam tikro taðko. Deja, R. Valantinas ne iki galo ágyvendino savo iðsakytas nuostatas. Jûros vaizdas banknote, neþiûrint autoriaus gerø norø, liko tik paveikslëlis. Ko gero, èia kaltas pats autorius, ne iki galo iðlikæs nuoseklus. Ðtai kaip jis apibûdina savo poþiûrá á pinigø projektavimà: „Visada galvojau, jog banknotas pirmiausia yra paveikslas. Vaizduojama asmenybë ar turinys turi bûti pagrindas, o funkcionalumas (turiu galvoje visus elementus) turëtø prisiderinti, paklusti“. Ði nuomonë yra visiðkai prieðinga tai, kuria visame pasaulyje vadovaujasi pinigø projektuotojai: saugumas – bûtinybë, groþis – siekis. Tokia radikali prieðingybë visiðkai suprantama – mûsø dailininkai ëmësi projektuoti pinigus turëdami nemaþà profesionaliø grafikø, daþniausiai estampininkø, patirtá. Norint ar nenorint, ði patirtis pasireiðkia, jei ne þodþiais, tai darbais. Jie banknotà komponuoja kaip estampà, o á baigtà paveikslà nenoriai ásileidþia pinigui bûdingus elementus. Taip atsitiko ir su 200 litø banknotu. Jo reverse liko tik nominalo skaièiai ir tekstai, taèiau jie iðdëstyti taip, kad neuþdengtø iðpuoselëto vaizdo, nenustumtø jo á antrà planà. Giljoðo struktûrai skiriamas tik á akis nekrentanèio rëmo vaidmuo. Dideles erdves nuo kraðto iki kraðto uþpildyti lygiai ðtrichuota faktûra labai pavojinga ir estampe, juo labiau jei kalbama apie pinigus. Pats motyvas sudarë galimybæ sukurti

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of Klaipëda Lighthouse against the background of the sea did not satisfy me. With regard to plastics, they were rather boring and sweetly romantic. I wanted a more expressive drawing, of a more dramatic subject; so I disregarded the encyclopaedic accuracy and created a sea of my own”. Unfortunately, Valantinas did not realise his philosophy to the full. What remained from the image of the sea on the banknote, despite the author’s good will, was just a small picture. It probably happened so through the fault of the author himself, who was not fully consistent. This is how he described his approach to note designing: “I’ve always considered a banknote to be primarily a picture. The personality portrayed or the contents must be the core, whereas the functionality (I mean, all elements) should adapt itself, be subordinate”. This opinion is totally opposite to the one that currency designers around the world stick to: security is a necessity; beauty is an option. This radical contrast is quite natural: our artists undertook currency design with accumulated substantial experience as graphic artists – most often print designers. Willingly or not, this experience manifests itself in works, if not in words. They arrange a note as a print design and are reluctant to introduce elements peculiar to the note into the finished picture. It happened so with the 200 litas banknote as well. On its back, only denomination numerals and lettering have remained, yet these are laid out as not to cover the refined image, not to push it to the background. The guilloche structure is given the role of just an inconspicuous frame. To fill large spaces edge to edge with a pattern of even strikes is very dangerous even for a print design, not to speak of a currency unit. The motif itself provided a possibility for creating a more interesting arrangement: for the foaming seawaters, the same tempestuous sky with menacing clouds and a lighthouse ray casting light on them would have suited much better than the dark, monotonous night sky.

Banknoto projekto eskizai. Dail. R. Valantinas

ádomesnæ kompozicijà: prie putojanèiø jûros bangø daug labiau bûtø tikæs toks pat audringas dangus su grësmingais debesimis ir juos apðvieèianèiu ðvyturio spinduliu negu tamsus, monotoniðkas nakties dangus. Atsitiktinumas ir didelë lietuviø meilë jûrai lëmë, kad net du mûsø banknotus puoðia ðëlstanèios jûros vaizdas – Atlanto banga, grasinanti pasiglemþti „Lituanicà“ 10 litø banknote, ir Baltija, skalaujanti Klaipëdos uosto molà 200 litø banknote. Joks kitas motyvas nenusipelnë tokio dailininkø dëmesio. Komisijoje svarstant Vydûno portreto ikonografijà, iðkilo klausimas, koká raðytojo portretà pasirinkti – tarpukario Lietuvos visuomenei gerai paþástamà, dar jaunà, þvelgiantá ið laikraðèiø ir þurnalø fotokronikos puslapiø ir dar gerai atmenamà daþnam vyresnës kartos inteligentui, ar jau pasenusá ir praþilusá, nuvargintà karo sunkumø, fotografuotà Vokietijoje keleri metai prieð mirtá. Nugalëjo nuomonë, kad banknote Vydûnas turi bûti vaizduojamas toks, koks jis buvo paskutiniais savo gyvenimo metais. Spaustuvës meistrø iðraiþytoje graviûroje profesionaliai perteikta fotografinio portreto nuotaika, nors banknoto projekto autorius nebuvo tuo patenkintas – graveris neperteikë portreto ðviesokaitos ir fono santykio, nors pati graviûra buvo atlikta profesionaliai. Neþinant autoriaus sumanymo ir þiûrint ið ðalies, portretas iðëjo neblogas, o tamsesnæ veido modeliuotæ galima pateisinti graverio pastangomis iðryðkinti charakteringà portreto elementà – visiðkai baltà raðytojo barzdà ir plaukus, nors ir jie kai kuriose vietose per daug tamsûs ir netenka savo spalvos. Antra vertus, suprantamas ir sveikintinas autoriaus noras, kad veidas bûtø ðviesesnis. Kaip jau minëta, K. Lynikas sakë, kad ðviesus portretas sudaro daugiau kliûèiø klastotojams, be to, maþiau ðtrichuotas veidas ir plaukai bûtø ne tokie margi, aiðkiau iðsiskirtø nevienodo intensyvumo foninëje aplinkoje, á kurià jie dabar lyg ir nugrimzta, supanaðëja su ja.

When the iconography of the portrait of Vydûnas was discussed in the Commission, a question arose, what portrait of the writer should be selected: well known to the inter-war Lithuanian public, still young, looking down from the pages of newspaper and magazine photo chronicles and still well-remembered by a many an educated person of the older generation, or already in old age and grey-haired, weary of the difficulties of the war, photographed several years before his death. The prevailing opinion was that the banknote should carry an image of Vydûnas in his last years of life. The engraving cut by the company’s masters professionally conveys the mood of the photographic portrait, though the author of the banknote’s design was not content with the result: the engraver had not conveyed the relationship between the change of light and the background, although the engraving itself was a professionally cut work. If one is unaware of the author’s conception and looks at it as an uninvolved observer, the portrait seems quite good and the darker modelling of the face is justified by the engraver’s endeavours to bring out a characteristic element of the portrait – the writer’s absolutely white beard and hair, though in some places these become too dark and lose their colour. On the other hand, the author’s wish to make the face brighter is understandable and welcomed. As stated above, Kæstutis Lynikas had said that a bright portrait poses more problems for counterfeiters; additionally, a less lined face and hair would be less heterogeneous and more distinct in the background environment of varying intensity, while now they seem to sink into the background. The task of relating the composition of the 200 litas banknote with the 100 litas banknote of 1991 issue limited the designer’s possibilities of introducing more compositional innovations, but the time which had elapsed and the criticism made him introduce some adjustments. Valantinas gave up the heavy horizontal ornamental bands; therefore, the entire composition became lighter and there was room

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Sketches for the banknote’s design by R. Valantinas

Dail. R. Valantinas tikrina bandomuosius banknotø atspaudus

Designer R. Valantinas while checking banknote proofs, photograph

Uþduotis – 200 litø banknoto kompozicijà susieti su 1991 m. laidos 100 litø banknotu – apribojo dailininko galimybes ádiegti daugiau kompozicijos naujoviø, taèiau praëjæs laikas ir girdëta kritika vertë dailininkà kai kà pakoreguoti. R. Valantinas atsisakë sunkiø horizontaliø ornamento juostø, todël palengvëjo visa kompozicija, atsirado vietos didesniam Vydûno portretui. Nors ir sumaþëjo nominalo skaièiai bei tekstai, taèiau ramiame giljoðo struktûrø fone jie gerai skaitomi, o smulkiai ornamentuoti raidþiø siluetai tapo dar viena apsaugos priemone. 200 litø banknotà spausdino Giesecke & Devrient GmbH spaustuvë. Dailininkas su parengtu projektu nuvyko á spaustuvæ ir dalyvavo parengiamajame gamybos etape. Autoriui tai buvo puiki mokykla, leidusi ið arèiau susipaþinti su tobula programine áranga, kurianèia ámantrias giljoðo struktûras, su naujausiais mokslo atradimais apsaugos priemoniø srityje – specialiais daþais, hologramomis, kinegramomis. Lietuvos banko specialistams nusprendus banknote ádiegti hologramà, dailininkui teko ieðkoti jai vietos jau sukomponuotame banknote. Susiformavæs poþiûris á banknotà kaip á paveikslà neleido R. Valantinui naudotis kompanijos sudaryta galimybe kompozicijà papildyti pinigo specifikà atitinkanèiais elementais. Jis atsargiai, nepasitikëdamas rinkosi jam siûlomus variantus. Autorius prisimena: „Daug laiko prireikë ir fono darbams – giljoðui. Turëjau galimybæ perþiûrëti tûkstanèius kataloguose siûlomø pavyzdþiø, bet tinkamo vis nerasdavau. Norëjosi savitesnio, lietuviðkesnio. Visai praradæs viltá, pagaliau uþtikau simbolá – saulutæ. Bet jà reikëjo patobulinti. Daug padëjo vienas spaustuvës dizaino specialistas“. 200 litø banknotas buvo pirmas lietuviðkas banknotas, kuriame ádiegta metalizuota holograminë juostelë, savo paslaptingu daugiaspalviu spindesiu iðskyrusi ðá pinigà ið kitø. Ultravioletinëje ðviesoje reverse iðryðkëja dar vienas áspûdingas apsaugos poþymis – ðvyti ðvyturio spinduliø pluoðtas, jo atspindys matyti ir ant molo.

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for a bigger portrait of Vydûnas. The denomination numerals and texts, though contracted in size, are easily readable against the serene background of guilloche structures, and the finely ornamented oulines of letters serve as another security feature. The 200 litas banknote was printed by Giesecke & Devrient GmbH. The designer went to the company with his ready design to participate in the preparatory stage of production. It was an excellent school for the author; he could familiarize himself on closer terms with the perfect software capable of designing intricate guilloche structures, with the latest scientific discoveries in the area of security features, such as special inks and dies, holograms and kinegrams. On the decision of Bank of Lithuania experts to introduce a hologram into the banknote, the designer was obliged to find a place for it in the finished banknote. Owing to his approach to banknote as a picture, Rytis Valantinas did not use the opportunity provided by the company to supplement the arrangement with elements relevant to the specifics of the currency unit. He was choosing from the options offered to him cautiously, with distrust. The author recalls: “The work with the background – guilloche – took a long time too. I had a possibility of reviewing thousands of examples offered in catalogues, but I would not find a suitable one. My wish was to find something peculiar, more Lithuanian. When I lost all hope, I finally came across the symbol of a daisy. Yet it had to be improved. An expert of design from the company was very helpful to me.” The 200 litas banknote was the first Lithuanian banknote with a metallic holographic strip incorporated, which distinguished this note from the others by its mysterious multicolour radiance. Under ultraviolet light, one more impressive security feature becomes visible on the back of the note: the pencil of rays of the lighthouse fluoresces; its reflection is also visible on the pier.

Vydûno portreto graviûra

Engraving of the portrait of Vydûnas

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Penkiø ðimtø litø banknotas Five Hundred Litas Banknote

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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Jau 1990 m. buvo numatyta spausdinti 500 litø banknotus. Ðio nominalo banknotà komponavo pinigø projektavimo grupës vadovas R. Miknevièius. Banknotas atspausdintas USBC spaustuvëje, taèiau tuo metu toks didelis nominalas nebuvo reikalingas. 1991 m. laidos banknote ádiegtø apsaugos priemoniø nepakako, todël jis nebuvo iðleistas á apyvartà. 2000 m. ið naujo susirûpinta ðio banknoto projektavimu. Ðiame banknote nutarta áamþinti Vincà Kudirkà (1858–1899 m.) – vienà ið þymiausiø lietuviø tautinio atgimimo veikëjø, raðytojà, visuomenës veikëjà, „Varpo“ redaktoriø ir ideologà. Studijuodamas jis ásitraukë á tautiná judëjimà, 1888 m. pradëjo leisti þurnalà „Varpas“, kuriame smerkë carizmà, jo vykdomà nacionalinës priespaudos politikà, këlë socialines problemas, þadino tautinæ sàmonæ. Paraðë apsakymus, kandþiai iðjuokianèius carinës administracijos valdininkus, – „Virðininkai“, „Lietuvos tilto atsiminimai“. Publicistiniuose straipsniuose daug dëmesio skyrë literatûrai lietuviø kalba, rûpinosi jos profesionalumu. 1898 m. paraðë þodþius ir sukûrë muzikà dainai „Tautinë giesmë“, vëliau nepriklausomoje Lietuvoje tapusiai valstybës himnu. 1991 m. laidos banknoto projektas parengtas laikantis nustatytos didþiøjø nominalø serijos komponavimo schemos: averso deðinëje – portretas, centre – J. Zikaro sukurtas Vytis, kairëje – elipsës formos vieta vandenþenkliui Vyèiui ir Gediminaièiø stulpams. Visus komponentus jungia horizontalios juostos, o reverse – peizaþas. Þiûrëdami á dailininko pieðiná ir á atspausdintà banknotà, galime palyginti, kaip jie skiriasi vienas nuo kito. Visas averso staèiakampis ir reverso kraðtai padengti ámantriu giljoðo audiniu, jo atspalvis keièiasi ið ðviesaus á tamsø, ið ðaltesnio á ðiltesná. Lyginant pieðiná, matosi, kad spaustuvëje kompozicija buvo ðiek tiek pakeista: vandenþenklio erdvë, kitaip negu projekte, ágavo aiðkø elipsës siluetà, V. Kudirkos deðiniojo peties formà spaustuvës dizaineriai „pataisë“, deja, paþeidë proporcijas ir jis iðëjo gerokai siauresnis uþ kairájá. Labai nuotaikingas R. Miknevièiaus sukurtas peizaþas atspausdintas ofsetu, taèiau abiejose banknoto pusëse buvo giliaspaude atspaustø elementø: averse – portretas, ornamento juostos su tekstais ir nominalo skaièiais, o reverse – ornamento juostos su skaièiais ir varpas. Praëjus vos ne deðimtmeèiui ir bankui apsisprendus iðleisti kol kas didþiausio nominalo 500 litø nominalo banknotà, 1991 m. laidos banknoto autorius R. Miknevièius nepanoro pratæsti darbo ir parengti pieðiná naujai laidai. Tai atlikti buvo pasiûlyta G. Jonaièiui. Jis paveldëjo nerealizuotos laidos komponavimo schemà ir temà, taèiau jam teko banknotà pritaikyti padidëjusiems apsaugos reikalavimams, pakeisti jo spalviná sprendimà. Visi lietuviðki maþøjø nominalø banknotai buvo neryðkiø spalvø, o 200 litø ryðkiai mëlynà banknotà ið didþiøjø nominalø serijos papildë raudonas 2000 m. laidos 500 litø banknotas, atspausdintas Giesecke & Devrient GmbH Ltd spaustuvëje. G. Jonaièio projekto aversas pasikeitë nedaug, jis papildytas tik vertikalia hologramine juosta. Tiesa, Lietuvos banko specialistø praðymu dailininkas atsisakë horizontaliø ornamento juostø abiejose banknoto pusëse, labai sumaþintà bendrà visø didþiøjø nominalø se-

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

The idea of printing 500 litas banknotes dates back to 1990. The layout of the banknote of this denomination was designed by the leader of the currency design team Miknevièius. The banknote was printed by the USBC, yet there was no need for such a high denomination at the time. As the security features incorporated in the banknote of the 1991 issue were insufficient, the banknote was not put into circulation. Designing this note became came up again in 2000. The 500 litas banknote was to honour Vincas Kudirka (1858– 1899), one of the most prominent figures of the national rebirth movement of the Lithuanians, writer, public figure, editor and ideologist of the Varpas magazine. As a student, he became involved in the national movement; from 1888 edited the Varpas magazine, in which he condemned the czarist regime, its policy of national oppression, raised social problems, and wakened national self-consciousness. In 1898, he wrote the words and composed the music for the “National Song”, which in later years became the national song of independent Lithuania. The design of the banknote of 1991 issue was prepared in observance of a fixed scheme for the layout of the high denomination series: on the right side of the front is the portrait, in the centre Vytis of Juozas Zikaras’ design, on the left an oval-shaped space for the watermark, Vytis and Gediminas Columns. Horizontal bands link all the components, while the back features a landscape. As we look at the designer’s drawing and the printed banknote, we can compare their respective differences. The entire rectangle of the front and the edges of the back are covered with an elaborate guilloche pattern, the tint of which changes from light to dark, from colder to warmer. The lively landscape designed by Miknevièius was printed in offset, but both sides of the banknote contained elements printed in intaglio: on the front was the portrait, ornamental bands with texts and denomination numerals, and on the back ornamental bands with a bell. When nearly a decade had elapsed and the Bank made a decision on issuing a banknote of the so far highest 500 litas denomination, the author of the banknote of the 1991 issue Miknevièius was not willing to continue the work and prepare a drawing for the new issue. Jonaitis was asked to do that. He inherited the layout scheme and the subject of the unrealised banknote, yet he had to adjust the banknote to the more stringent security requirements and to change its colouring solution. All Lithuanian banknotes of low denominations were subdued in colours, whereas the bright blue 200 litas banknote from the high denomination series was supplemented with the red 500 litas banknote of 2000 issue printed by Giesecke & Devrient GmbH. The front of Jonaitis’ design changed only slightly through adding only a vertical holographic strip. Now, upon the request of Bank of Lithuania experts, the designer abandoned the horizontal ornamental bands on both sides of the banknote, arranged a highly compressed Vytis of Zikaras’ design, which is common to the series of all high

Banknoto projekto eskizai. Dail. R. Valantinas

Sketches for the banknote’s design by R. Valantinas

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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Banknotø projektai. Dail. R. Miknevièius

Banknote designs by R. Miknevièius

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

V. Kudirkos portreto graviûra

Engraving of the portrait of V. Kudirka

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rijai J. Zikaro sukurtà Vytá ákomponavo horizontalioje elipsëje ir jos pagrindu formavo centro kompozicijà. Virð herbo esanèioje giljoðo struktûroje galima áþiûrëti stilizuotus smuiko ir knygos siluetus, jie pagal autoriaus sumanymà turëjo charakterizuoti V. Kudirkos asmenybæ ir pareikalavo dideliø pastangø juos komponuojant. G. Jonaitis prisimena: „Averse daug vargau su smuiku ir knygos motyvø paieðka. Vëlgi perëjau visà spektrà mëginimø nuo visiðkai tikroviðko vaizdavimo iki visiðko abstrahavimo ir sàlygiðkumo. Nesinorëjo toje vietoje matyti vien tiktai plikà plotà, norëjosi turinio, kuris vaizdiðkai neturëjo dominuoti ir konkuruoti su pagrindiniu akcentu – iðdidintu portretu“. Atspausdintame banknote tai yra praktiðkai vieno tono, taèiau sudëtingø ir visiðkai skirtingø ornamento struktûrø formuojamos plokðtumëlës, sudaranèios dailininko taip kruopðèiai komponuotus motyvus – ryðkiai stilizuotus smuikà ir knygà. Ðis ornamentuotas laukas – labiau apsaugos priemonë negu ideologinis temà pabrëþiantis komponentas. Jo ámantraus pieðinio vizualus þaismas matomas atidþiai apþiûrinëjant banknotà, o siuþetà visiðkai uþgoþia ryðkûs portreto ir Vyèio siluetai. Tai, aiðku, neblogai, tokioje nedidelëje erdvëje ryðkiai iðsiskiriantys smuikas ir knyga bûtø gerokai trukdæ svarbesniems banknoto komponentams. Apaèioje iðliko neryðki ornamento juostos dalis. Ið nominalo skaièiø mikroteksto, persipynusio su kitomis mikrostruktûromis, ji sudaro dëkingà aplinkà dideliam nominalo skaièiui ir jo iðraiðkai þodþiais. Aversas, kaip ir tinka tokio didelio nominalo pinigui, padengtas smulkiausiø giljoðo struktûrø audiniu. Banknote gausu ir kitø moderniausiø apsaugos priemoniø – tai plati metalizuota holograminë juostelë su vertikaliais ir horizontaliais tekstais, apsauginis siûlelis su mikrotekstu, sutapimo þenklas, atpaþinimo þenklas akliesiems – trys statûs trikampiai, nematomais daþais atspausdinti nominalo skaièiai, kai kurie komponentai, liuminescuojantys ultravioletinëje ðviesoje, ir daugelis kitø. V. Kudirkos portretas iðraiþytas profesionaliai. Dailininkas sakosi, kad, gerai þinodamas graverio meistriðkumà, per daug á jo darbà nesikiðæs. Nepaisant to, kai kuriø klaidø neiðvengta. XX a. pradþioje darytoje fotografijoje fiksuojamas tik virðutinis poeto peèiø siluetas, þemiau jis iðnyksta baltame fone. Tuo tarpu graveris grieþtai iðraiþë visà ðvarkà, labai já susiaurino, ir galva, palyginti su liemeniu, iðëjo per daug didelë. Kaip ir ankstesniame banknote, G. Jonaitis paliko tà patá peizaþo motyvà – Merkio ir Nemuno santakà, tik pakeitë þiûrëjimo taðkà. R. Miknevièius savajame projekte daugiau dëmesio skyrë Nemunui, tik siaura blizganèia vandens juostele paþymëdamas Merká, tuo tarpu G. Jonaitis kompozicijos centru pasirinko vaizdingà Merkio slëná. Në kiek nestebina abiejø dailininkø skoniø sutapimas – juk tai viena ið áspûdingiausiø Lietuvos gamtos panoramø, be to, kiekvienas ið jø visiðkai skirtingai traktavo ðio peizaþo teikiamas galimybes pinigo specifikai. Á romantiðkai ið po tamsiø debesø properðø prasiverþianèiø saulës spinduliø pluoðtais apðviestà platø upës slëná R. Miknevièius þiûri ið paukðèio skrydþio – pirmame plane iðkyla net pats Merkinës piliakalnis. Virð tamsiø kalvø ir miðkø, virð ðviesiø Nemuno vingiø bei iðnykstanèiø

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denominations, into a horizontal ellipse to arrange the composition of the central part based on it. In the guilloche structure above the state emblem, stylised oulines of a violin and a book can be seen, which, in the author’s conception, were to characterise the personality of Kudirka and required a lot of effort in arranging them. Jonaitis remembers: “I took pains with the violin and the search for the motifs of the book on the front. Again, I went through a whole series of attempts from depicting in absolutely realistic manner to total abstraction and conditionality. I was unwilling to leave just a blank space in that place; I needed a contents that was not to dominate visually and compete with the key accent, the enlarged portrait”. In the printed banknote, these practically appear as planes of the same tone yet formed by complicated and totally different ornamental structures, making the motifs that the artist took so great pains to design – a distinctly stylised violin and a book. This ornamented space is a security feature rather than an ideological component emphasizing the theme. The visual play of its intricate drawing is visible at studying the banknote carefully and the subject is totally dominated by the distinct outlines of the portrait and Vytis. This is right, of course: the violin and the book made distinct in such a small space would have interfered with more important components of the banknote. The back, as it is due to a note of such a high denomination, has a pattern of guilloche structures. The banknote is loaded with other modern security features as well. These include: a wide metallic holographic strip with vertical and horizontal texts, a security thread with a microtext, a see-through feature, a recognition sign for the blind – three raised isosceles triangles, denomination numerals printed in invisible inks, some components fluorescent under ultraviolet light, and many others. The cutting of the portrait of Kudirka is professional; however, certain mistakes have not been avoided. The photograph, made in the early 20th century, registers only the upper part of the outline of the poet’s shoulders, which disappears in the white background. But the engraver cut the whole of the jacket in strict lines and narrowed it substantially; as a result, the head appeared too big for the torso. Like in the earlier banknote, Jonaitis preserved the same motif of the landscape, the confluence of the rivers Merkys and Nemunas, changing only the point of view. Miknevièius, in his design, focussed mainly on the Nemunas marking the Merkys as a narrow glittering strip of water, whereas Jonaitis chose the picturesque valley of the river Merkys as the centre of his composition. The similarity of taste of both designers is not surprising in the least as the valley represents one of the most magnificent panoramas of the Lithuanian landscape; however, each of them treated the possibilities provided by the landscape with regard to the specifics of the note totally differently. Miknevièius arranged the wide valley of the river, lit romantically by the rays of the sun breaking through the rifts in the dark clouds, as a bird’s eye view, with the Mound of Merkinë rising in the foreground.

Neiðleistas á apyvartà 1991 m. laidos banknotas. Dail. R. Miknevièius

500 litas banknote of 1991, never put into circulation. Design by R. Miknevièius

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Banknoto projekto eskizai. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Sketches for the banknote’s design by G. Jonaitis

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V. Kudirkos portretas. Dail. G. Jonaièio pieðinys Banknoto projekto eskizas. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Portrait of V. Kudirka. Drawing by G. Jonaitis Sketch for the banknote’s design by G. Jonaitis

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Merkio slënis. Fotogr. J. Polis

Valley of the river Merkys. Photo by J. Polis

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Banknoto fragmentas – Merkio slënis. Dail. G. Jonaitis

Detail from the banknote: valley of the river Merkys. Design by G. Jonaitis

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toliuose debesø kabo Laisvës varpas, kurio garsas sklinda po visà Lietuvà. Peizaþas ryðkiai romantizuotas ir ideologizuotas, jo paskirtis – puoðti banknotà, þadinti patriotinius pilieèiø jausmus. Toniná autoriaus pieðiná kompanijos meistrai pavertë rastriniu (ið smulkiø horizontaliø linijëliø), bet tai në kiek nepakeitë idealistinës nuotaikos. G. Jonaitis projektavo banknotà, kai jau buvo gerai perpratæs pinigø komponavimo specifikà, ypaè banknoto apsaugos reikalavimus bei spausdinimo technologijos galimybes. Jis á peizaþà pasiþiûrëjo visiðkai kitaip – kaip á laukà, kuriame bus ádiegtas banknoto apsaugos priemoniø kompleksas. Pirminis slënio vaizdas, dailininko nupieðtas ið natûros, ir atspaustasis banknote skiriasi kaip diena ir naktis. Autorius sàmoningai projektavo peizaþo metamorfozes. Savo poþiûrá á peizaþo vietà banknoto kompozicijoje jis iðsakë prisimindamas darbà kompanijoje: „Kurdamas banknoto peizaþà, siekiau iðvengti „nuogo“ natûralizmo, stengiausi pasiekti tam tikrà sàlygiðkumà, nenorëjau tokio sprendimo, kaip mûsø ankstesniuose banknotuose, kur peizaþas tarsi „paveikslëlis“ – su debesimis, þolytëmis ir t. t. Vengiau natûralistinio vaizdo, kryptingai galvojau apie jo grafinio realizavimo perspektyvas, modeliavau galimas ávairiø spaudos bûdø kombinacijas (pvz., peizaþe dalis medþiø atspausta giliaspaude, dalis ofsetu, laukai uþpildyti ornamentika)“. Plaèiais pasëliø laukais ir rëþiais, pievomis ir krûmais papuoðtu slëniu tingiai vinguriavusios upës nuotaikingas peizaþas atspausdintame banknote virto vertikalia plokðtuma, grieþtai sudalyta á netaisyklingos formos sklypelius, padengtus skirtingo charakterio ornamentiniu audiniu. Nukentëjo peizaþo, kaip paveikslëlio, visuma, taèiau iðloðë didelës vertës banknoto apsauga. Kitas dalykas, kad kai kà buvo galima padaryti ir geriau: medþiai ir krûmai, atspausti giliaspaude daug tamsesniu tonu, dalija visà plokðtumà á dvi nevienodos stilistikos puses, perskirtas tik á perspektyvà nutolstanèiø upës vingiø. Jø á vienà visumà neástengia sujungti net visiðkai identiðkas pieðinys. Ryðkus krûmø siluetas trukdo ramiai, net sausai varpo modeliuotei. Pirmà kartà lietuviðkuose piniguose spalvà keièianèiais daþais reverse atspausdinta apsauginë juostelë. Ðiuo metu tai didþiausio nominalo Lietuvos banknotas. Ne kiekvienam ir nedaþnai þmonëms á rankas patenkantis, jis kelia susidomëjimà savo ryðkiu raudoniu ir paslaptingu hologramos þvilgesiu.

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Above the dark hills and forests, the light curves of the Nemunas and the clouds disappearing in the distance, the Bell of Freedom hangs, the sound of which echoes across Lithuania. The masters of the company made the author’s tonal drawing raster (consisting of fine horizontal lines), but this did not in the least affect its idealistic spirit. Jonaitis designed the banknote when he already was well versed in the specifics of banknote composition, especially the requirements for banknote security and possibilities of printing technology. His approach to the landscape was totally different: for him, it was a space into which the banknote’s set of security features would be introduced. The author described his approach to the place of the landscape in the banknote’s composition remembering his work at the company: “As I designed the landscape for the banknote, I aimed at avoiding fidelity to ‘naked’ naturalism, tried to achieve some conditionality; I was unhappy with a solution applied in our previous banknotes, where the landscape was like a ‘picture’ – with clouds, grasses, etc. I abstained from a naturalistic view, considered the prospects of its graphic solution, modelled possible combinations of different printing techniques (e.g., part of the trees in the landscape printed in intaglio, others in offset, the spaces filled with ornamentation)”. The cheerful landscape of the river twisting idly across the valley decorated with wide harvest fields and patches, meadows and bushes, appeared in the banknote as a vertical plane, divided strictly into irregular-shaped areas covered by ornamental patterns of varying character. The landscape suffered as a whole but the high-value banknote benefited in terms of security. It is another matter that some things could have been done better: the trees and bushes printed in intaglio in a much darker tone divide the whole plane into two stylistically different parts, which are separated only by the river winding away into the perspective. Even the totally identical drawing is unable of joining them into a whole. The definite outline of the bushes interferes with the calm, even dry modelling of the bell. A security strip in optically variable inks was printed for the first time in Lithuanian notes. Currently, this is a Lithuanian banknote of the highest denomination. As it does not get into everybody’s hands too often, it arouses interest by its bright red colouring and the mysterious gloss of the hologram.

Banknoto fragmentas – giljoðas ir holograma

Detail from the banknote: guilloche and hologram

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Tûkstanèio litø banknotas One Thousand Litas Banknote

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Rengiant projektus pirmai atgimusios Lietuvos litø laidai, buvo numatyti visi centø ir litø monetø bei banknotø nominalai – nuo 1 cento iki 1 000 litø. Didþiausio nominalo banknotà projektavo R. Valantinas. Jame numatyta áamþinti Mikalojø Konstantinà Èiurlioná (1875–1911 m.) – garsø kompozitoriø ir dailininkà. M. K. Èiurlionis aktyviai dalyvavo lietuviø visuomeniniame gyvenime, vadovavo Vilniaus lietuviø chorams, koncertavo kaip pianistas, raðë muzikos klausimais. Jo sukurtos simfoninës poemos „Jûra“, „Miðke“, gausi fortepijoninë kûryba iki ðiol skamba ne tik Lietuvos, bet ir uþsienio koncertø salëse. Ypaè plaèiai M. K. Èiurlionis þinomas kaip dailininkas. Jis – vienas ið aktyviausiø Pirmosios lietuviø dailës parodos organizatoriø ir dalyviø, aukðtai vertinama jo didelës fantazijos ir gilios minties tapyba. Kai kuriø Vakarø Europos dailininkø M. K. Èiurlionis laikomas abstrakcionizmo pradininku, ir dabar Lietuvoje bei pasaulyje neslûgsta domëjimasis jo muzika bei daile. M. K. Èiurlionis – iðskirtinë figûra Lietuvos asmenybiø panteone. 1991 m. laidos USBC spaustuvëje atspausdintas 1 000 litø banknotas á apyvartà nebuvo iðleistas. Ðis banknotas turëjo iðskirtiniø komponavimo bruoþø – abi banknoto pusës skirtos tai paèiai asmenybei, reversà puoðia vienas ið graþiausiø dailininko paveikslø „Karaliø pasaka“ (1908). Paveikslas nuolat eksponuojamas Kauno M. K. Èiurlionio dailës muziejuje, veþiojamas po pasaulá, paplitæs po ðalá atvirukø, reprodukcijø rinkiniais, spausdinamas albumuose, reprodukcijos puoðia ne vienà interjerà. Susiþavëjimo kupinais þodþiais apie ðá paveikslà kalba þinomas rusø dailininkas Markas Etkindas knygoje „Pasaulis kaip didelë simfonija“ (Leningradas, „Iskusstvo“, 1970): „Ant karalienës delno kaimelis – ásiþiûrëkite, tai ne paprastas kaimas. Dailininkas atvaizdavo lietuviðkà kaimelá, apðviestà gelsva mënulio ðviesa – trobos su ðiaudiniais stogais ir raudonomis kaminø dëmelëmis, topoliai, tvora… Jis ðvyti, gintarinës geltonos ðviesos pusratis virð lietuviðko kaimelio – idëjinis ir kompozicinis paveikslo centras. Ranka, tas kûrybiniø jëgø simbolis, ranka, neðanti pasauliui saulëtà meilës apskritimà, èia yra istorinio likimo simbolis. Ðvelni ir gera likimo ranka, suradusi Lietuvà istorijos bruzgynuose ir pakelianti jà ið tamsios bedugnës á gyvenimà, ðviesà, prie palinkusiø virð jos amþiø veidø, þvelgianèiø á jà su susidomëjimu ir viltimi“. Viename ið paèiø populiariausiø dailininko portretø, kuris buvo pasirinktas banknoto aversui, M. K. Èiurlionis pasisukæs á deðinæ, todël visiðkai netiko – toká ákomponavus á banknoto deðinæ pusæ, jo þvilgsnis bûtø nukreiptas á kraðtà, jis bûtø nusisukæs nuo kitø komponentø. Todël R. Valantinas perpieðë dailininko portretà nieko jame nekeisdamas, tik veidrodiðkai apsukdamas á kità pusæ. Banknoto projektas neiðliko, bet, sprendþiant ið eskizø ir autoriaus þodþiø, toninë averso kompozicija po spaudos gerokai pasikeitë. M. K. Èiurlionio veidas, turëjæs ðviesti tamsesniame lauke, atspausdintame banknote visiðkai iðtirpsta to paties tono giljoðo fone, nors vieno ir kito grafinës struktûros labai skirtingos. Plonø miniatiûriniø linijëliø formuojamas veido reljefas ryðkiai kontrastuoja su grubaus giljoðo

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In the process of preparation of designs for the first issue of litas notes in the revived Lithuania, all denominations of centas and litas coins and banknotes were envisaged, from 1 centas to 1000 Litas. The designer of the 1000 litas banknote was Rytis Valantinas. The banknote of this denomination was to commemorate Mikalojus Konstantinas Èiurlionis, an acclaimed composer and artist. Èiurlionis (1875–1911) was an active participant in the social life of the Lithuanians, led Lithuanian choirs, gave concerts as a pianist, and wrote on musical issues. His symphonic poems “Sea”, “In the Forest”, prolific compositions for the grand piano have been performed to the present day not only in the concert halls of Lithuania but abroad as well. Èiurlionis is particularly celebrated as an artist and considered by some West European painters the father of abstractionism. The interest in his music and art has not abated in Lithuania and across the world to date. The 1000 litas banknote of 1991 issue, printed by the USBC, has not been issued into circulation. The 1000 litas banknote is characterised by an extraordinary arrangement: its both sides are devoted to the same personality, the back is decorated with one of the artist’s most remarkable pictures “The Tale of the Kings” (1908). This is how the Russian painter Mark Etkind describes this picture in the book The World as a Great Symphony (Iskusstvo, Leningrad, 1970) in words full of delight: “On the Queen’s palm is a miniature village – take a close look at it: it is not an ordinary village. The artist depicted a Lithuanian village in yellow moonlight: straw-roofed cabins with red patches of chimneys, poplar trees, a fence… It radiates; the semi-circle of the amber yellow light above the Lithuanian village is the ideological and compositional centre of the picture. The hand, that symbol of creative power, the hand carrying to the world the sunny circle of love, here is the symbol of historic destiny. The kind and good hand of destiny, which has found Lithuania in a thicket of history and is raising it from a dark abyss to life, to light, to the faces of centuries bent over it and looking at it with interest and hope”. In one of the most popular portraits of the artist, which was selected for the front of the banknote, Èiurlionis is turned to the right; therefore, the portrait was no good: arranged on the right side of the banknote, the artist would appear looking towards the edge, with his back to other components. Therefore, Valantinas redesigned the portrait without changing anything in it, just turning it mirror-like in the opposite direction. The relief of the face, formed from fine miniature lines, is in sharp contrast with the pattern of a rough guilloche. Another infringement on the author’s will, which had a negative impact on the composition of both sides of the banknote, is a distinct white outline of the oval for the watermark. According to the designer’s idea, the dark background on the right side of the banknote was to lighten up gradually towards the left side and to make a clear space for the watermark without any graphic elements. The situation is still aggravated by similar sizes of the

Banknoto eskizas. Dail. R. Valantinas

Sketch for the banknote. Design by R. Valantinas

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Banknoto eskizai. Dail. R. Valantinas

Sketches for the banknote. Design by R. Valantinas

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M. K. Èiurlionis. Fotografija

M. K. Èiurlionis, photograph

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M. K. Èiurlionio portreto graviûra

Engraving of the portrait of M. K. Èiurlionis

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M. K. Èiurlionio portreto graviûros negatyvas

Negative of the engraving of M. K. Èiurlionis’ portrait

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„Karaliø pasaka“. 1908 m. Dail. M. K. Èiurlionis

“The Tale of Kings” by M. K. Èiurlionis, 1908

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Banknoto fragmentas

Detail of the banknote

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mezginiu. Kitas autoriaus valios paþeidimas, pakenkæs banknoto abiejø pusiø kompozicijai, – ryðkus baltas ovalo siluetas vandenþenkliui. Pagal dailininko sumanymà tamsus fonas deðinëje turëjo pamaþu ðviesëti á kairæ ir ten sudaryti ðvarià be grafiniø elementø vietà vandenþenkliui. Padëtá dar pablogina ovalo bei portreto panaðûs dydþiai ir aiðkiai per didelis centre ákomponuotas J. Zikaro sukurtas Vytis. Pjaustinëtø mediniø palangiø pavyzdþiu sukomponuotø horizontaliø ornamento juostø fone blogai skaitosi tekstai. Smailiø formø ir persiðvieèianèiø kiaurymiø neramus kontrastas maiðosi su ðviesiomis raidþiø formomis, trukdo jas skaityti, kiekvienas averso komponentas per daug aktyvus ir savarankiðkas, kad galëtø tapti viena bendra visuma. Reverse ðalia jau aptartø abiejø pusiø ornamento juostø ir vandenþenklio ovalo yra dar viena nesëkmë – „Karaliø pasakos“ ákomponavimas. R. Valantinas sakosi pats pasirinkæs ðá paveikslà pagrindiniu reverso motyvu. Idëjiðkai ðis sprendimas nekelia jokiø abejoniø. Populiarus paveikslas vertas papuoðti didþiausio nominalo lietuviðkà banknotà, taèiau kompoziciniu poþiûriu tai nevykæs sprendimas. Banknoto formatas ilgas – aukðèio ir ilgio santykis vos ne 1:2. Já dar pailgina horizontalus sudalijimas á juostas – giljoðo kraðtai bei ornamentai virðuje ir apaèioje pagrindiniams komponentams palieka tik visiðkai siaurà juostà, kurios ilgio ir ploèio santykis vos ne 4:1. Á tokiø proporcijø erdvæ áspraudþiant kompaktiðkà kvadratiná paveikslà, bûtina sugalvoti, kuo uþpildyti tuðèias vietas – banknote jø negali bûti. Saulës apðviestas kaimelis ir vos jos spinduliø paliesti karaliai yra aiðkiausiai matoma paveikslo dalis ir reverso kompozicijos centras, visa kita nuskæsta þvaigþdëtoje naktyje su vos matomais þmoniø bei medþiø siluetais. Spaustuvës graveris iðryðkino jautriai pulsuojanèius tapybinius atspalvius, detales, vos áþiûrimus rûbø ornamentus, paslaptingà scenovaizdá paversdamas primityvoku pieðiniu. Èia ir iðkyla klausimas, ar tiko toks tapybiðkas, paslaptingoje prieblandoje skæstantis paveikslas pinigo kompozicijai, reikalaujanèiai aiðkumo, grafiniø kontrastø. Autoriaus neapgalvotas tuðèias erdves graveris nevisiðkai vykusiai uþpildë vienodomis, vertikaliai suðtrichuotomis plokðtumomis. Margame, tamsiame banknoto pavirðiuje ðvieèia tik ryðkus vandenþenklio ovalas. Reverso kompozicija neturi jokiø pinigui charakteringø sudëtingesniø struktûrø. R. Valantinas sako, kad spalviná sprendimà taip pat pakeitë spaustuvininkai. Jo projektas buvæs ðvelnios violetinës spalvos su ðviesesniais roþiniais atspalviais, o atspausdintas banknotas – ðaltos pilkos, reverse pereinanèios á geltonà spalvà. Savo spalvine gama labai supanaðëjo 1991 m. laidos trys didþiausiø nominalø – 100, 500 ir 1 000 litø – lietuviðki banknotai. Didþiausio nominalo 1 000 litø banknotas nëra turtingas apsaugos priemoniø. Abiejose pusëse dalis iðgraviruotø komponentø atspausdinti giliaspaude, aversas ir reversas padengti ofsetu atspaustu giljoðu. Ovaluose – neryðkûs, neaiðkaus silueto vandenþenkliai Vytis ir Gediminaièiø stulpai. Apðvietus ultravioletine ðviesa, averso centre iðryðkëja didelis skaièius „1 000“ ir liuminescuoja vertikalusis serijos numeris bei retai iðsimëtæ popieriaus plauðeliai.

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oval and the portrait, and an obviously too large Vytis of Zikaras’ design arranged in the centre. Against the background of the ornamental bands arranged according to the example of carved wooden windowsills, the texts are difficult to read. The anxious contrast of pointed forms and translucent cavities mingles with the light forms of the letters making them difficult to read; every component of the front is too active and self-dependent to become one common whole. Apart from the ornamental bands on both sides and the oval for the watermark already discussed, the back contains another failure, the arrangement of “The Tale of the Kings”. Rytis Valantinas says he selected this picture as the main motif of the back himself. Ideologically, the decision raises no doubt. The popular picture is worthy of decorating the Lithuanian banknote of the highest denomination, yet it is a wrong decision with regard to composition. The banknote’s format is long, the ratio of height to length being nearly one to two. It is still lengthened by its horizontal division into bands: the guilloche edges and ornaments at the top and bottom leave just a narrow strip for the basic components, the ratio of length to width of which is nearly four to one. Before cramming the compact square picture into a space of such proportions it is necessary to consider how to fill the empty spaces: in a banknote, they cannot be. The sunlit village and the kings touched by the rays of the sun represent the most clearly seen part of the picture and the compositional centre of the back; everything else drowns in a starry night with scarcely visible silhouettes of people and trees. The engraver of the company exposed the sensitively pulsating hues of the painting, details, and scarcely visible ornamentation of the clothes, making quite a primitive drawing of the mysterious scene. At this point, a question arises, whether this scenic picture shrouded in a mysterious mist was a good choice for the composition of the note, which required clarity and graphic contrasts. The empty spaces the author had not given his thought to were filled by the engraver rather ineffectively with uniform vertically lined planes. On the dark heterogeneous surface of the banknote, only the pronounced oval of the watermark is luminous. The arrangement of the back contains no structures of any higher complexity characteristic of banknotes. Valantinas said the printers also changed the colouring solution. The colour of his design was soft violet with hues of lighter pink, whereas the printed banknote was of cold grey colour changing to yellow on the back. Three Lithuanian highest denomination banknotes of the 1991 issue, 100, 500 and 1000 litas became largely similar in their range of colours. The 1000 litas banknote of the highest denomination was not rich in security features. On both sides, part of the engraved components were printed in intaglio, the front and back were covered by guilloche printed in offset. The ovals contained obscure indistinctly outlined watermarks, Vytis and Gediminas Columns. Under ultraviolet light, the sizeable figure 1000 and the vertical serial number as well as rare paper fibres were visible in the centre of the banknote.

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Dail. J. Juozapavièiaus pieðinys

Linksmieji pinigai Funny Banknotes

Po daugiau kaip penkis deðimtmeèius trukusiø negandø atgimusi Lietuva atkûrë vienà ið svarbiausiø valstybës savarankiðkumo simboliø – savus pinigus. Lietuvos pilieèiai, su dideliu dþiaugsmu ir pasididþiavimu ëmæ á rankas pirmuosius litø banknotus ir monetas, ðiandien jau priprato prie jø – lietuviðki pinigai tapo kasdienybe. Þmonës gauna atlyginimus, perka prekes, moka uþ paslaugas, daug negalvodami suþeria gràþà monetomis ar banknotais á piniginæ ar kiðenæ. Pirmaisiais Atgimimo metais pradëta pokðtauti ir pinigø tema. Þiniasklaidoje skelbta medþiaga apie lito ávedimà daþnai buvo palydima ðmaikðèiais dailininkø pieðiniais. 2000 m. Lietuvos banko iniciatyva surengta Lietuvos karikatûristø darbø apie pinigus paroda, iðleistas graþus katalogas. Jame Lietuvos banko muziejaus vadovas V. Laurinavièius raðë: „Pinigai, bûdami neatskiriama ðiø dienø civilizacijos dalis, dailininkø kûryboje tapo iðraiðkinga priemone atskleisti ðiø dienø visuomenës negeroves, parodyti su pinigais susijusius komiðkus þmoniø santykius ir gyvenimo situacijas. Neatsitiktinai paroda surengta Lietuvos banke, ðioje daugeliui þmoniø paslaptingoje pinigø tvirtovëje. Þmonëms, kuriø darbas su pinigais yra tapæs kasdienybe, taip pat norisi linksmai ið ðalies paþvelgti á pinigus ir save, kartu pasijuokti“. Bankas galvoja ir apie bûsimàjà Lietuvos kartà – 2000 m. ávyko vaikø pieðiniø konkursas ,,Ateities pinigai“. Á Lietuvos banko kvietimà – nupieðti, kokie pinigai bus uþ keliø deðimtmeèiø – atsiliepë daug vaikø. Jø nuoðirdþiose, spalvingose kompozicijose buvo daugelis dabartiniø banknotø atributø – nominalo skaièiai, ðalies pavadinimas, sudëtingi ornamentai. Buvo ir netikëtø komponentø – ámantriø tranzistoriø schemø, nesuprantamø tekstø ir simboliø. Kai kurie jaunieji dailininkai teigë, kad Lietuvoje nebebus litø, o bus visai galaktikai bendri pinigai ir, aiðku, jie vadinsis ,,galaktikais“. Komercinëje reklamoje taip pat populiarus pinigø ávaizdis. Tokios reklamos autoriai, gamindami savus „pinigus“, neturi tikslo pateikti juos kaip tikrus ir apgaudinëti þmones. Paprastai ðie banknotai aiðkiai

Reborn after all the calamities that lasted more than five decades, Lithuania restored one of the most important symbols of the independence of a country – its own currency. Lithuanian people, who held the first litas banknotes and coins in their hands with joy and pride, have by now got used to them and Lithuanian money became a fact of everyday life. People started making jokes about money from the very first years of the rebirth. In 2000, on the initiative of the Bank of Lithuania, an exhibition of creative works by Lithuanian caricaturists on the subject of money was organised and a beautiful catalogue was published. Vidmantas Laurinavièius, Head of the Museum of the Bank of Lithuania, wrote in the catalogue: “Money, an inseparable part of modern civilisation, became expressive means in the work of artists used to reveal the negative sides of modern society and show the comic side of human relations and life situations related to money. It was no accident that the exhibition was organised at the Bank of Lithuania, the fortress of money that seems mysterious to many people. People to whom working with money has become everyday life also wish to take a merry look at money and themselves and to laugh together.” The Bank also thinks about the future generation of Lithuania – a competition of children’s paintings entitled “Future Money” was organised in 2000. A great many children responded to the invitation by the Bank of Lithuania to paint the money the way it would look after several decades. Their sincere and colourful compositions included most of the attributes of modern banknotes – denomination numerals, name of the country, complex ornaments. Some young artists stated that the litas would not be used in Lithuania, but the whole galaxy would have a single currency and it would certainly be called “galactics”. The image of money is also popular in commercial advertising. The authors of such advertisements producing their own “money” do not intend to present them as real and deceive people. Usually these

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Drawing by J. Juozapavièius

Dail. R. Dovydëno pieðinys Dail. V. Skrebnevskio pieðinys

Drawing by R. Dovydënas Drawing by V. Skrebnevskis

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Dail. J. Varno pieðinys

Drawing by J. Varnas

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J. Pakalkaitës pieðinys (11 metø) P. Padgurskio pieðinys (10 metø) A. Visockytës pieðinys (11 metø)

Drawing by J. Pakalkaitë (11 years) Drawing by P. Padgurskis (10 years) Drawing by A. Visockytë (11 years)

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skiriasi nuo tikrøjø. Jais tik siekiama patraukti klientø dëmesá, pralinksminti, pakelti renginio prestiþà. Originaliai savo reklaminá klipà sukûrë radijo stotis M-1. Per televizijà rodyto klipo pagrindinis veikëjas yra 100 litø banknoto herojus – þymus Lietuvos istorikas Simonas Daukantas. Kompiuteriu sukurtas S. Daukantas iðeina ið banknoto, kalba senoviniu telefonu, kreipiasi á televizijos þiûrovus, kviesdamas dalyvauti radijo stoties rengiamame konkurse. Pinigø ávaizdis naudojamas ir politinëje propagandoje. Ðtai 1921 m. Tilþës miestas iðleido keistos kompozicijos keliø nominalø markes. Jø aversas vokiðkos vëliavos spalvø juostele per vidurá padalytas á dvi dalis. Vienoje pusëje – Tilþës miestas Vokietijoje, o kitoje – Klaipëdos kraðtas. Vienur uþraðas: „Èia Tilþë, nepaprastas miestas“, kitur: „Tenai miestas, kurio negalima pasiekti“. Reverse nupieðtas þemëlapis, jame prie Nemuno paþymëta Tilþë ir paraðyta: „Tilþë – vartai á Baltijos valstybes“. Jumoristinis lietuviø poþiûris á pinigus turi savas tradicijas. 1980 m. tuometinis Ðiauliø miesto vyriausiasis dailininkas Vilius Puronas iðleido savo naujametinius atvirukus. Jie buvo sukomponuoti kaip tikri banknotai – su giljoðais, serijos numeriu, Ðiauliø architektûriniais simboliais ir herbu. Spaustuvëje keliø spalvø ofsetu atspausdinti dvipusiai atvirukai tikrai priminë pinigus. Tik uþraðai „Turtingø Naujøjø metø“, „Su Naujaisiais metais“ rodë jø linksmà charakterá. Neþiûrint to, kad atvirukai visiðkai nepretendavo á tikrus pinigus, nes ten nebuvo nei nominalo, nei banko pavadinimo, giljoðai neaiðkûs ir susiliejæ, jie niekuo net nepriminë tuomet kursavusiø tarybiniø rubliø, vis dëlto jais susidomëjo KGB. Dailininkas buvo tardomas, bet bausmës pavyko iðvengti. 1989 m. þemaitis Kazys Alminas pasiûlë surengti didelæ þemaièiø ðventæ – mugæ su savais pinigais. Dailininkas V. Puronas suprojektavo þemaitiðkus banknotus, kurie jau turëjo visus pinigø atributus. Penkiø nominalø banknotai – trijø nominalø litai ir dviejø nominalø centai – buvo atspausdinti ant gelsvo su geometrinio ornamento vandenþenkliais popieriaus. Litø aversuose – imaginaciniai Lietuvos ir Þemaitijos valdovø portretai, o reversuose – senovës kariai. Centai papuoðti populiaraus dailininko Kazio Ðimonio iliustracijø pasakoms fragmentais. Banknotai sukurti koliaþo principu, juose gausu ornamentø, giljoðø, jumoristiniø þemaitiðkø uþraðø. Tarp mugës lankytojø „pinigai“ buvo labai populiarûs. Kaip prisimena jø autorius, dailininkas V. Puronas, Ðiauliø sporto manieþe kiekvienas pilietis, áeidamas á mugæ, privalëjo savo rublius iðsikeisti á þemaièiø litus, o iðeidamas ið þemaitiðkos teritorijos, galëjo vël atgauti tarybinæ valiutà. Vakarop iðaiðkëjo, kad daugiau kaip 3 000 þemaitiðkø litø buvo iðsineðta kaip suvenyrai. 1990 m. Ðiauliuose lankantis tuometiniam TSRS vadovui M. Gorbaèiovui, buvo numatyta jam áteikti tokiø banknotø rinkiná susitikimo su miesto inteligentija metu. Deja, vadovo marðrutui pasikeitus, ðis sumanymas nepavyko. 1991 m. Lietuvos miestuose vyko IV Pasaulio lietuviø sporto þaidynës. Ðiaulieèio gydytojo Algimanto Briedþio siûlymu, renginiams

banknotes are clearly different from the real ones. Their usage is intended to draw the attention of the customers, entertain and raise the prestige of an event. One original commercial was made by the radio station M-1. The main character of the clip shown on TV was the hero of the 100 litas banknote, the famous Lithuanian historian Simonas Daukantas. Made with the help of computer graphics, Daukantas steps out of a banknote, talks on an antique telephone and addresses TV spectators inviting them to participate in a competition organised by the radio station. The humorous attitude towards money of Lithuanians has its own traditions. In 1980 Vilius Puronas, who was the senior artist of the city of Ðiauliai at that time, published his own New Year postcards. They were designed as real banknotes that had guilloche patterns, serial numbers, architectural symbols and the emblem of Ðiauliai. Double-sided postcards printed in a printing-house in multi-colour offset reminded of real money. Only inscriptions like “Have a rich New Year” or “Happy New Year” reflected their funny character. Notwithstanding the fact that the postcards were in no way intended as real money, since they had no denomination or bank name, guilloche structures were unclear and blurred and they did not in any way remind of the Soviet roubles that were in circulation at that time, the KGB became interested in them. The artist was interrogated, but he managed to avoid punishment. In 1989 the Samogitian Kazys Alminas proposed organising a large festival of Samogitians – a fair where their own money was to be used. The artist Vilius Puronas designed Samogitian banknotes that had all attributes of money this time. Banknotes of five denominations – litas of three denominations and centas of two denominations – were printed on yellow paper with a watermark in the form of a geometrical ornament. The front of the litas had imaginary portraits of the rulers of Lithuania and Samogitia and the back depicted ancient warriors. Centas notes were decorated with fragments of illustrations from the fairytales by the popular artist Kazys Ðimonis. Banknotes were designed on the principle of collage and had many ornaments, guilloche patterns and humorous Samogitian inscriptions. The “money” was very popular among the visitors of the fair. As their author and artist Vilius Puronas recalled, people entering the fair at Ðiauliai sports arena had to exchange their roubles into the Samogitian litas and they could receive their Soviet currency back when leaving the Samogitian territory. In 1990, during the visit of the leader of the USSR of the time M. Gorbatchev in Ðiauliai, it was planned to award him with a collection of such banknotes during his meeting with the intellectuals of the city. However, since the route of the visit was changed, the idea failed. In 1991 the 4th Lithuanian World Sports Games were organised in the cities of Lithuania. On the proposal of the doctor from Ðiauliai Algimantas Briedis, the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania, in co-operation with the management of Ðiauliai branch of the Bank

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Radijo stoties M-1 reklamos klipo kadrai

Sequence from a commercial clip of the Radio Station M-1

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Naujametiniai atvirukai. Dail. V. Puronas

New Year cards. Design by V. Puronas

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Þemaièiø mugës pinigai. Dail. V. Puronas

Money of the Samogitian fair. Design by V. Puronas

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IV Pasaulio lietuviø sporto þaidyniø pinigai. Dail. V. Puronas

Money of the IV Sports Games of World Lithuanians. Design by V. Puronas

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pagyvinti Lietuvos tautinis olimpinis komitetas (LTOK) drauge su Lietuvos banko Ðiauliø skyriaus vadovybe nutarë iðleisti specialius þaidyniø pinigus. Penkiø nominalø litaurai ir dviejø centaurai, suprojektuoti V. Purono ir pasiraðyti Lietuvos banko Ðiauliø skyriaus valdytojo bei LTOK Ðiauliø miesto tarybos pirmininko, renginiø metu turëjo bûti keièiami uþ vienà tarybiná rublá duodant vienà litaurà. Keitimo punktai iðkeitë kelis tûkstanèius litaurø ir centaurø, kartu su þaidyniø dalyviais bei sveèiais jie pasklido po visà pasaulá. Daugelio lietuviðkø banknotø autorius, þinomas grafikas Giedrius Jonaitis, ilsëdamasis kuria originalius asambliaþus. Tai – didelio formato kompozicijos ið ávairiø autoriui po ranka pasitaikiusiø daiktø: lentø, maðinø detaliø, mikroschemø, krumpliaraèiø, sraigteliø. Iðmoningai sudëlioti paveikslai savo forma primena jo paties projektuotus banknotus. Èia yra ir portretai, ir nominalø skaièiai, ir ámantrûs ornamentai. Ðilta ávairiø atspalviø gama, paslaptingai blizganèios mikroschemos, rateliai, vielelës apstulbina þiûrovà netikëtu panaðumu á pinigà, sumanymo originalumu. Net neaiðku, kaip pavadinti koliaþus – tapyba ar skulptûra. Reljefinës kompozicijos sukurtos ið daiktø, nekeièiant jø formos ir spalvos. Taèiau dailininkas ypaè daug dëmesio skiria spalvai. Ávairiø ðiltø atspalviø lentelës, natûraliai nusiðlifavæs ir papilkëjæs plienas, parûdijusi geleþis, auksu blizgantys ar raudoni tranzistoriø elementai sudaro subtilø kolorità. G. Jonaitis kuria ir grafiðkus jumoristinius banknotus. Dailininkas aktyviai dalyvavo dar Atgimimo pradþioje Vilniuje susibûrusios menininkø grupës su máslingu pavadinimu „Naujosios komunikacijos mokykla“ veikloje. Ði grupë periodiðkai rengdavo parodas, skirtas vienai ar kitai temai. Viena ið tokiø parodø buvo pavadinta garsaus alkoholinio gërimo Teacher’s Wisky vardu. Dailininkas susidomëjo populiaraus produkto gamybos istorija ir sukûrë banknotà ðia tema. Banknote vaizduojamas gamyklos ákûrëjas su þmona ir du sûnûs, tæsæ tëvo tradicijà ir plëtojæ gamybà. Dailininkas sukûrë ne vienà „banknotà“, sveikindamas savo kolegas ávairiø ðvenèiø ir jubiliejø proga. Panaðios tematikos jumoristiniø pinigø yra suprojektavæ ir kiti dailininkai. Pinigas – rimtas valstybinës svarbos dalykas ir èia daug nepajuokausi, taèiau linksmi þmonës suranda bûdø pasiðaipyti net ið tragiðkø dalykø, o kà jau kalbëti apie rimtus.

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of Lithuania, decided to issue special currency of the games in order to make the events more interesting. Litauras (“kettledrum”) of five denominations and centaurs of two denominations designed by Vilius Puronas and signed by the head of Ðiauliai branch of the Bank of Lithuania and Chairman of Ðiauliai Council of the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania were to be exchanged during the events at the ratio of one litauras for one Soviet rouble. Exchange outlets exchanged several thousand litauras and centaurs and they were spread throughout the world by the participants and guests of the games. The author of many Lithuanian banknotes and the famous graphics artist Jonaitis has designed original assemblages. These are large size compositions designed using various items that the author laid his hands on – wooden boards, machine parts, microchips, toothwheels and screws. The form of compositions arranged in an interesting way remind of banknotes designed by the same author. Portraits, denomination numerals and fanciful ornaments could be found there. A warm colour palette, mysteriously sparkling microchips, rings and wires surprise spectators by their unexpected similarity with money and the originality of the idea. Relief compositions have been created using various items without changing their form and colour. Jonaitis has also made humorous graphic banknotes. The artist actively participated in the activity of the group of artists with a mysterious name School of New Communication that was formed in Vilnius back at the start of the rebirth. The group has regularly organised exhibitions on one or another subject. One of such exhibitions was entitled with the name of a famous drink Teacher’s Whisky. The artist became interested in the history of production of the popular product and created a banknote on this subject. The banknote portrays the founder of the distillery with his wife and two sons who continued the tradition of their father and expanded the business. The artist has created a number of “banknotes” in order to congratulate his colleagues on the occasion of various holidays and anniversaries. Other artists have also designed humorous money on similar subjects. Money is a serious matter of national importance and no jokes can be made about it; however, cheerful people will find ways to make jokes even on tragic matters, not to speak of serious ones.

IV Pasaulio lietuviø sporto þaidyniø pinigai. Dail. V. Puronas „100 Teacheriø“. Dail. G. Jonaièio pieðinys

Money of the IV Sports Games of World Lithuanians. Design by V. Puronas “100 Teachers”. Drawing by G. Jonaitis

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„50“. Dail. G. Jonaièio koliaþas „50 Graþiø“ Dail. G. Jonaièio pieðinys

“50”. Collage by G. Jonaitis “50 Graþiø”. Design by G. Jonaitis

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„30 Vaupðø“. Dail. G. Jonaièio pieðinys

“30 Vaupðø”. Drawing by G. Jonaitis

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Dail. G. Jonaièio koliaþai „50“ ir „500“

Collages by G. Jonaitis „50“ and „500“

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„Talonas 210“. Dail. A. Puipos pieðinys

“Talonas 210”. Drawing by A. Puipa

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Banknotø dailininkai Banknote Designers

GIEDRIUS JONAITIS Gimiau 1963 m. Vilniaus rajone, Salininkø gyvenvietëje. Ten lankiau pradinæ mokyklà. Po to mokiausi M. K. Èiurlionio meno mokykloje. Jà baigæs, 1981 m. ástojau á Lietuvos valstybinio dailës instituto Grafikos specialybæ. Nuo treèio kurso pasirinkau estampo specializacijà, mano studijø vadovas buvo profesorius Rimtautas Gibavièius. 1987 m. baigiau studijas ir likau dëstyti Grafikos katedroje, kur tebedirbu iki ðiol. 1990 m. ástojau á Lietuvos dailininkø sàjungà, Grafikos sekcijà. Nuo 1995 m. – Vilniaus dailës akademijos docentas. Mano kûrybos prioritetai – tradicinës grafikos technikos, giliaspaudë, litografija, realistinis pieðinys. Esu iliustravæs knygø, mëgstu pieðti pastele. Pastaruoju metu dirbu ir kompiuteriu (juo naudojausi ir kurdamas litø banknotø projektus). Taèiau bene mëgstamiausia ir mieliausia mano kûrybos dalis – miniatiûros, atliktos sausa adata. Tiesa, nesu ið produktyviøjø, nesu jø sukûræs daug. Tam reikia daug laiko, tiraþas nëra didelis, be to, tai gana kaprizinga technika. Taèiau man tai teikia tikrà kûrybiná dþiaugsmà. Noriu paminëti M. K. Èiurlionio meno mokyklos mokytojà, dailininkà Petrà Ilgûnà ir Dailës akademijos profesoriø Rimtautà Gibavièiø. Esu laimingas, nes turëjau tikrai puikius mokytojus. I was born in 1963 in Vilnius district, in the town of Salininkai. I attended primary school there. Afterwards, I studied at M. K. Èiurlionis Art School. After finishing it, I entered the Lithuanian State Art Institute to study graphic arts. From the third year I chose the specialisation of the print and studied under the supervision of Rimantas Gibavièius. In 1987 I completed studies and was invited to work as a lecturer at the Faculty of Graphic Arts where I have worked until present. In 1990 I entered the Union of Lithuanian Artists, the Section of Graphic Arts. Since 1995 I have been an associate professor of the Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts. The priorities of my creative work are the following: traditional techniques of graphic arts, deep printing machine works, lithography, realistic drawing. I have illustrated several books and I like to draw in pastels. Recently I have also worked with a computer (I used it when creating litas banknote designs as well). However, probably the most favourite and most precious part of my creative work is miniatures, created in dry point technology. Truly, I am not very productive in this area and I have not done many works of this kind. It takes much time, circulation is not big, and it is quite a capricious technique. However, it provides me with a true joy of creation. I would like to mention the name of the lecturer of M. K. Èiurlionis Art School, the artist Petras Ilgûnas and professor of the Academy of Fine Arts Rimtautas Gibavièius. I am happy that I truly had wonderful teachers.

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

„Naktis“. 2000 m. Dail. G. Jonaitis

“Night”. 2000. G. Jonaitis

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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RYTIS VALANTINAS Gimiau 1961 m. lapkrièio 17 d. Kaune. Mama studijavo Kauno politechnikos institute, tëvas tarnavo armijoje. Mamai baigus institutà, ðeima persikëlë á Vilniø. Keletà metø gyvenome senamiestyje, prie Auðros vartø. 1968 m. pradëjau lankyti A. Vienuolio vidurinæ mokyklà. Vëliau iðsikëlëme á Lazdynus. Mama gana anksti susirûpino mano uþimtumu ir ateitimi. Prie pieðimo traukë jau vaikø darþelyje. Buvo nuspræsta pamëginti stoti á M. K. Èiurlionio meno mokyklà. 1972 m. stojamuosius egzaminus iðlaikiau gerai ir buvau priimtas. 1979 m. baigiau meno mokyklà. Tais paèiais metais ástojau á Lietuvos valstybinio dailës instituto Grafikos specialybæ. Ketvirto kurso pradþioje iðëjau akademiniø atostogø, beveik metus dirbau „Spindulio“ spaustuvëje. Sugráþæs á Vilniaus dailës akademijà, baigiau ketvirtà ir penktà kursà. Diplominá darbà turëjau gintis eksternu. Komisija portretø ciklà ávertino labai gerai. Dalyvavau jaunøjø menininkø Pabaltijo trienalëje. 1991 m. pieðiau laikinuosius lietuviðkus talonus. Buvau pakviestas kurti lietuviðkus pinigus. Nuo 1994 m. dirbu lektoriumi Dailës akademijos Pieðimo katedroje. Dalyvauju grupinëse estampo parodose. Esu vedæs. Þmona istorikë, turiu du sûnus. I was born on 17 November 1961 in Kaunas. My mother studied at Kaunas Polytechnical Institute, while my father served in the army. After my mother graduated from the Institute, the family moved to Vilnius. For several years we lived in the Old Town, near the Auðros vartai. In 1968 I started attending Antanas Vienuolis secondary school. Later we moved to Lazdynai. My mother started caring about my occupation and my future early in my life. Drawing attracted me already when I attended the kindergarten. We decided to try entering M. K. Èiurlionis Art School. In 1972 I passed the exams well and was accepted. In 1979 I finished the art school. In the same year I entered the Lithuanian State Art Institute to study graphic arts. At the end of the fourth year I went on an academic leave and for about a year worked at the Spindulys printing house. After returning to the Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts I completed the fourth and the fifth year. I had to take exams without attending lectures. The commission assessed my series of portraits very well. I participated in the Baltic Triennial of young artists. In 1991 I drew the temporary Lithuanian talonas. I was invited to design Lithuanian money. Since 1994 I have worked as a lecturer at the Department of Drawing at the Academy of Fine Arts. I have participated in group print exhibitions. I am married. My wife is a historian, I have two sons.

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai

„Be pavadinimo“. 2002 m. Dail. R. Valantinas

“Untitled”. 2002. R. Valantinas

Design Peculiarities of Lithuanian Banknotes

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Lietuvos banknotai Lithuanian Banknotes Sudarytojas / Compiled by Juozas Galkus Dailininkas / Designed by Bronius Leonavièius Redaktorë / Edited by Ramutë Macienë Vertëjai / Translated by Dalia Augulytë, Raimondas Lipinskas, Dalia Ðatienë Vertimo redaktorius / Translation edited by Arvydas Gaiþauskas Tiraþas 1 000 egz. Uþsakymas 240 Iðleido ir spausdino Lietuvos banko Leidybos ir poligrafijos skyrius, Þirmûnø g. 151, LT-2012 Vilnius

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Lietuvos banknotø kûrimo bruoþai