TauArt

09/02/2026

THE RITE WAS ANCIENT.

Šventaragis did not create the sacred fire.
In legend, he gave an ancient rite place, order, and lasting meaning.

Šventaragis — King of Hearts
The Legendary Court
Kickstarter — September 23:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dausos/the-monarchs-of-lithuania-the-legendary-court

09/01/2026

ŠVENTARAGIS — THE SACRED ORDER

In Lithuanian chronicle tradition, Šventaragis was far more than a ruler associated with sacred fire. He is remembered as the founder of a new funerary order: Lithuania’s rulers, princes, and other great men were to be brought to the principal sacred place and committed to the fire there.

According to the legend, this sacred ground stood at the confluence of the Neris and Vilnia, beneath the hill that would later become the heart of Vilnius. After Šventaragis himself was ceremonially cremated there, the valley came to bear his name — Šventaragis Valley.

Centuries later, after Lithuania’s conversion to Christianity, the same area became the religious and political center of the capital. Vilnius Cathedral rose there, while the castles of Lithuania’s rulers developed around the neighboring hill. Rebuilt many times, the Cathedral still stands at the heart of the same landscape formed by the two rivers and Gediminas Hill.

This short film imagines Šventaragis not as the inventor of cremation — a practice far older than the legend — but as the ruler who gave an ancient rite place, hierarchy, and statewide meaning.

Šventaragis — King of Hearts
The Monarchs of Lithuania: The Legendary Court
Launching on Kickstarter September 23.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dausos/the-monarchs-of-lithuania-the-legendary-court

Four kings. Four legends. Four foundations.
Where history fades, legend begins.

08/29/2026

Palemonas opens the story of The Legendary Court, a new deck in the Monarchs of Lithuania series. Inspired by Lithuanian legend, chronicles, and cultural memory, this project brings early rulers and foundational national legends into a richly illustrated playing card deck. Join the Kickstarter pre-launch and follow the story as it unfolds.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dausos/the-monarchs-of-lithuania-the-legendary-court

08/27/2026

PALEMONAS — THE NEW HOMELAND

In Lithuanian chronicles, Palemonas became a foundational figure in the legendary story of Lithuania’s beginnings.

According to tradition, he left the Roman world with his people and eventually reached the lands by the Nemunas. This episode imagines the moment after that long journey — when uncertainty gives way to relief, and a foreign shore becomes a new homeland.

The scene is not intended as a literal reconstruction of documented history. It is a visual interpretation of a legend that helped shape Lithuania’s historical imagination and national memory.

Palemonas — King of Diamonds
The Monarchs of Lithuania: The Legendary Court

Launching on Kickstarter September 23.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dausos/the-monarchs-of-lithuania-the-legendary-court

Four kings. Four legends. Four foundations.
Where history fades, legend begins.

08/24/2026

ONE MONTH TO GO
One month from now, on September 23, The Legendary Court launches on Kickstarter.
Four kings. Four legends. Four foundations — stories that helped shape Lithuania’s historical imagination, national identity, and cultural memory.

The countdown has begun.
Follow the Kickstarter pre-launch page and click “Notify me on launch.”
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dausos/the-monarchs-of-lithuania-the-legendary-court

Where history fades, legend begins

# MonarchsOfLithuania # #

08/22/2026

THE ROYAL COURT — NOW IN THREE NEW EDITIONS

Booklet only: https://taudesigngifts.etsy.com/listing/4560120080
Deck + Booklet: https://taudesigngifts.etsy.com/listing/4560406441
Collector’s Set + Booklet: https://taudesigngifts.etsy.com/listing/4560685849

Three ways to explore the history, symbolism, and visual world behind The Monarchs of Lithuania: The Royal Court.

And while the first Court continues to grow, the next chapter is already taking shape.

The Legendary Court is now in pre-launch on Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dausos/the-monarchs-of-lithuania-the-legendary-court

Created by Tautvydas Kaltenis

08/14/2026

Hello,
My personal Facebook profile is currently unavailable, so if you have tried to reach me there, I may not be able to see or respond to your message.

TauArt and all related projects continue as usual. To make communication easier, here are the most reliable channels to follow current work, project updates, and new releases:

Tautvydas Kaltenis:
Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/tautvydaskaltenis/
X — https://x.com/TKaltenis
LinkedIn — Tautvydas Kaltenis | LinkedIn
Facebook / TauArt — https://www.facebook.com/people/TauArt/61565820309111/
Pinterest — https://www.pinterest.com/kaltenis/
YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/
Website — https://kaltenis.com
Email — [email protected]

Monarchs of Lithuania:
Kickstarter pre-launch — https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dausos/the-monarchs-of-lithuania-the-legendary-court
Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/monarh.ai/
Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/people/Monarchs-of-Lithuania/61578901526833/
Pinterest — https://www.pinterest.com/kaltenis/the-monarchs-of-lithuania/
TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/
YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/
Website — https://monarchslt.com
Email — [email protected]

For project inquiries, design work, product questions, or collaborations, email is currently the safest way to reach me directly.

Thank you for staying connected.

83 Followers, 49 Following, 126 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Tautvydas Kaltenis ()

08/10/2026

XVII Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival of North America — Chicago 2026

A project I’m especially glad to have contributed to this year: the official logo and visual identity for the XVII Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival of North America.

The symbol is rooted in Lithuanian ornamental tradition and reinterprets Baltic sun motifs, sacred rosettes, movement, unity, and continuity through a contemporary design language. The crescent at the base of the emblem acts as a symbolic bridge between Lithuania and its diaspora, while the green-and-white palette draws from the Lithuanian landscape and traditional textile culture.

The identity was developed as a flexible system for digital media, print, environmental graphics, merchandise, and event applications. Seeing the symbol become part of the actual festival — appearing across the stage, signage, clothing, photographs, and shared memories — was probably the most rewarding part of the project.

This short animated presentation explains the core idea behind the logo and its visual language.

Logo and visual identity design: Tautvydas Kaltenis / TauArt