Bronislovas Stanislovas Milaknis

Rokiškis

Among wooden sculptures saved in Rokiskis area museum rather big collection of whittlings of Bronislovas Stanislovas Milaknis exists. It consists of 119 creations. This collection was started to be composed since 1969.

Bronislovas Stanislovas Milaknis was born on the 28th of May 1915 in Riga. His father Jonas Milaknis was a native of Ceiciai village (Juodupe monit.), and his mother Ona Maciunaite was born in Jurkupiai village (Panemunelis monit.). They met each other in Riga.

Not only Bronislovas Milaknis was born in Riga, but also his elder brother Jonas (1912). The family returned to Lithuania about 1920 – 1921, they settled in Ceiciai village at grandfather. Two more brothers were born in Lithuania: Vladas (1922) and Petras (1925). Children grew talented and diligent in this family. Jonas became a doctor, Vladas – a wood ward, Petras – a journalist.

The future whittler attended Aleknos primary school, but lessons did not attract him, he was more interested in economy works. Being a child he began to shepherd animals. Even then he felt a demand to paint and model. In the beginning he began to model figures from clay. These were very successful among children. Just modeled he presented that to his friends. For sure, clay figures were not very tough, so, little shepherd decided to whittle from wood. The most favorite figures were various birds and planes. In his youth Bronislovas served at Latvian farmers. During postwar years he had to hide. Father was judged to prison and brought to camp.

Bronislovas Milaknis came back to creation in manhood. He began to whittle not only little birds and animals, but also men figures. In the beginning he did not succeed in calculation, so the head of sculpture used to be big and legs short or vice-versa. But the skinless came in a short time.

Inspiration source was the impressions raised by books read by him. One of the most successful works – Robinson Crusoe and the Friday. The master was so admired by characters of Spanish writer “Don Quixote”. He whittled even few variants of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
We remember the period, when Kaunas “Zalgiris” and its victories in contemporary Soviet Union were raising uncertain euphoria and pride for Lithuanians. Bronislovas Milaknis also liked basketball players, so he whittled their figures as well.

Musicians, singers, theatricals and concrete personalities were his favorite heroes.

Now there are sacral thematic creations in Rokiskis area museum collection. Bronislovas Milaknis remembers that there were manufacturing crosses that were carried and put in mount of Crosses as under orders of people.

Everything he whittled Bronislovas Milaknis had seen in his imagination and never made any sketches. He did not pay much attention to wood he had chosen. Majority of works he created using linden and sallow. He did not like birch because it becomes black and splits as well. Bronislovas used the simplest tools: axe, knife and chisels. After his wife’s death he settled in Rokiskis. He is not active in whittling anymore.