The first writings in Lithuania were the letters of King Gediminas (c. 1275-1341), chronicles, and historical and polemical essays. They were written in Latin or Old Slavonic. The earliest printed book in Lithuanian was Catechismus by Martynas Mažvydas, in 1547. A Lutheran pastor, Christian Donalitius (Kristijonas Donelaitis, 1714-1780), was the first significant Lithuanian poet. In his poem Metai ("The Seasons"), written in hexameter, he related the difficult life and labor of his parishioners, Lithuanian serfs, in Lithuania Minor. During the late 19th and the early 20th century, a dramatic and lyric poet, a Catholic priest named Maironis (Jonas Mačiulis, 1862-1932), became the poet-prophet of the Lithuanian national reawakening.
Poetry, lyric poetry in particular, dominates Lithuanian literature. There are many accomplished poets, and the following are merely the most prominent: Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas (1893-1967), Jonas Aistis (1904-1973), Bernardas Brazdžionis (1907-2002), Henrikas Radauskas (1910-1970), Alfonsas Nyka-Niliūnas, Henrikas Nagys (1920-1996), Judita Vaičiūnaitė (1937-2001), Justinas Marcinkevičius, Tomas Venclova, and Sigitas Parulskis. Notable novelists include Juozas Baltušis (1909-1991), Marius Katiliškis (1915-1980), and Jurga Ivanauskaitė. Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius (1882-1954) and Balys Sruoga (1896-1947) were the leading dramatists of the interwar period; Antanas Škėma (1911-1961) was the stage writer of the following generation. George Mačiūnas (1931-1978) is known as the founder of the Fluxus art movement. Another well-known artist is Jonas Mekas, poet, filmmaker, and founder of the New American Cinema.
Lithuania has a rich architectural heritage of churches and other old buildings that range in style from the late Gothic to the baroque and neoclassical. Each of those styles has acquired a distinctive local character. A noted architect of Lithuanian neoclassical style was Laurynas Gucevičius (1753-1798).
An outstanding modern painter and composer was Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (1875-1911). He has been considered an early precursor of abstract art, although his subtle and highly original work is difficult to classify. Other important Lithuanian artists were the painters Pranas Domšaitis-Domschat (1880-1965) from Lithuania Minor, Adomas Galdikas (1893-1969), and Vytautas Kasiulis (1918-1995); graphic artist and stained-glass painter Vytautas Kazimieras Jonynas (1907-1997); graphic artists Romas Viesulas (1918-1986) and Rimtautas Gibavičius (1935-1993); stained-glass painter Albinas Elskus; sculptors Petras Rimša (1881-1961), Vytautas Kašuba (1915-1997), and Vladas Vildžiūnas.
The prominent contemporary Lithuanian composers are Feliksas Bajoras, Osvaldas Balakauskas, and Onutė Narbutaitė. Music has a strong tradition in the country, and annual international festivals of classical music and jazz take place in Vilnius and several other cities. Song and dance festivals are also held in the cities and towns every summer.
