Jonas Rimša The Red Spirit

Sign.: LL J Rimša

Artwork varnished, framed with no glass

In this work, Jonas Rimša seeks to convey the pure, archaic spirit of the Andean Indians. The three figures gathered together represent not specific individuals, but the core of the community, the eternal circle of existence around a sacred hearth. The artist has painted not everyday life, but a metaphysical state—a deep, contemplative silence and humility before the fire of life. The vivid red accents on the canvases pulsate like an inner energy, contrasting with the massive, “stone-like” volumes of ochre and brown. This is the unseen Native American daily life, in which the individual dissolves into the collective spirit, and a simple gathering by the fire takes on the weight of a sacred ritual. Here, Rimša masterfully demonstrates that the Native American spirit arises not from external celebrations, but from this strong, unbroken connection to home and the earth.