On 22 September 2025, the 150th anniversary of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, the Lithuanian mountaineering team “The Bravehearts” reached the summit of Mount Kazbek in Georgia’s Caucasus range. The expedition symbolised the artist’s return to the mountains, which he had seen with his own eyes 120 years earlier and vividly described in letters to his brother. “I wanted to send you a forget-me-not, plucked near the Kazbek glacier we are now climbing,” he once wrote to Povilas Čiurlionis.
Comprising 16 seasoned climbers from a wide range of professions, The Bravehearts are united by a shared passion for the mountains. Under the leadership of Dainius Babilas, they undertook the expedition independently and voluntarily, dedicating it to the memory of Čiurlionis.
The 5,043-metre peak, with temperatures dropping to –20 °C, was first conquered by Meritas Babilas and Darius Lisauskas. Braving harsh weather, poor visibility and GPS disruptions, they climbed with speed and determination. After a three-day approach, they set off on the final stage during the night of 22 September, reaching the summit in around six hours without a single stop. Overtaking earlier groups, they became the first to stand on the peak that day — and the only climbers to do so during the entire preceding week. The rest of the team soon followed to the top.
At the summit, the climbers unfurled specially prepared flags depicting seven of Čiurlionis’ paintings inspired by mountains: The Sun in Aries, The Mountain, My Way, Fairy Tale, The Fairy Tale of the Castle, The Sonata of the Serpent and The Message. The flags served as a symbolic gesture of Čiurlionis’ return to the peaks that had influenced his art. In addition, the mountaineers plan to distribute several hundred replicas of a postcard once sent by the artist himself.
The ascent of Mount Kazbek became a meaningful tribute to mark Čiurlionis’ 150th anniversary.
