Vilnius Picture Gallery, the branch of the Lithuanian Art Museum was established in 1956. Until 1986, the gallery worked in Vilnius Cathedral; in 1994, it was established in restored Chodkevičiai Palace.
The Palace was built by the counts Chodkevičiai in the beginning of the 17th c. The building was reconstructed several times and current appearance acquired in 1825-1834, it was built in the late Classical style, probably designed by the architect Tomas Tišeckis.
Exposition of the gallery begins in the opening halls, where is restored interiors of the Vilnius Palace of the 19th c. Authentic interior decoration elements (fireplaces, moulding, polychrome) is supplemented by the 19th c. furniture, artworks of applied art, portraits of the 19th c. Vilnius residents, images of old Vilnius.
Exposition chronologically represents the sequence of Lithuanian art from the 16th to the end of the 19th c.: portraits painted by local and foreign artists present the art of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, art of professors and student of the Vilnius Art School (1793-1832), no less extensive artwork of the artists, who after the closure of Vilnius University studied art in Russian, Polish, German, French, and Italian art schools.
