Map of Lithuanian heritage in Mid-Atlantic
More info on Lithuanian heritage in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, Ontario.
More info on Lithuanian heritage in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, Ontario.
January 12th, 2023 - 13:52
Hi. I am a Canadian of Italian descent, and I was looking at your site. I was wondering about the painting with the howling wolf. Does the wolf have any particular significance in the Lithuanian culture? As you probably know, according to legend, the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, were breastfed by a wolf when they were separated from their natural mother. So the wolf became the symbol of Rome and, by extension, all Italy. Luperca (the name of the wolf who took care of Romulus and Remus; the name “Luperca” comes from the Latin word “lupus” for “wolf”) is even the mascot of one of Rome’s soccer teams! She is very much a mother figure. So I was wondering whether the wolf had any role in Lithuanian tradition.
January 14th, 2023 - 18:00
Hi Emily,
The howling wolf in Lithuanian imagery typically refers to the Iron Wolf, instrumental in the legend of the foundation of Vilnius city. See more here: http://www.truelithuania.com/religious-and-mythological-figures-1435