Laurynas Masiliauskas (1884-1956)

Rokiškis

Not all masters were illiterate, some of them have studied for a while. Laurynas Masiliauskas was one of them. He was born in 1884 in Alsedziai (Telsiai dist.) in poor family. His parents had just 2 ha of land. In accordance with early father’s death, Laurynas got a fate of shepherd and put-upon. His grandmother’s brother was a priest and stimulated young guy and sent him to a monastery. Laurynas Masiliauskas stayed in it just a month, for continual prays have become too boring. After leaving the monastery, Laurynas got a work in a workshop manufacturing various furniture for churches thanks to priest getting by 10 rubbles for food, furthermore, he used to learn draughtsmanship in the evenings. During 5 years he graduated from the studies of woodworker and drawing. A relative sent him to Vilnius to learn drawing and draughtsmanship. Here Laurynas met his future wife. L. Masiliauskas graduated his studies, married and moved to live in Rokiskis in 1911. He began working in churches of Rokiskis and surroundings: used to make works of woodworker, wood gilder and painter. A lot of interior settlement works were done by him during 1913 - 1914 and 1918 - 1919 in Cedasai church.

During the years of World War I he moved to Russia. He lived near to Petrograd, worked in a factory manufacturing small wooden boxes for packing the gun powder. In 1918 he came back to Cedasai, later lived in Palevene and Kalnaberze. In 1930 he came back to Rokiskis again, later he took works of interior of churches: he was producing altars, confessionals, benches, tabernacles, sculptures of saints, crosses “cult-figures” and etc. During the last years having no power to work as woodworker he began to serve as sacristan in Rokiskis church. He had stayed as a sacristan for 5 years, than he died.

L. Masiliauskas was mild, well character, did not smoke and drink. During his life he has never applied his wife “you”. His whittled sculpture St. John Baptist (RKM 4968) is being saved in Rokiskis area museum. This sculpture was in roof-pole that was standing near little Laukupe river next to highroad Rokiskis – Pandelys. In 1963 parson of Rokiskis church Albertas Talacka tendered it to the museum.

Known works of L. Masiliauskas:

In Utena church – benches, 4 confessionals of renaissance style, baptistery, little altars of Christ’s heart and contufel (1944 data).
In Kamajai church – 8 confessionals of gothic style manufactured in1934.
In Cedasai church – baldachin, bishop’s throne, sculpture “the Resurrection of Christ”, little procession altar, commode, 2 cupboards for church dressing, 2 little pews, 2 thrones for priests to sit, 5 confessionals, all benches of the church, frames for drawings and 12 candlesticks.

In Ziobiskis church – sculpture of St. Anthony.