Polikarps Vilcāns (26 January 1894 – 8 May 1969) was a Latvian and Latgalian
ceramicist
Ceramic art is art made from ceramic materials, including clay. It may take forms including artistic pottery, including tableware, tiles, figurines and other sculpture. As one of the plastic arts, ceramic art is one of the visual arts. Wh ...
. One of the most renowned Latgalian ceramicists. In 1937, Vilcāns was awarded with a Gold Medal at the Paris Exhibition.
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
in 1894. He learned the craft of
ceramicist
Ceramic art is art made from ceramic materials, including clay. It may take forms including artistic pottery, including tableware, tiles, figurines and other sculpture. As one of the plastic arts, ceramic art is one of the visual arts. Wh ...
from his father Joahims and successfully fired his first kiln at the age of 16. After the
1917 October Revolution
The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolsheviks, Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was ...
, Vilcāns fought against the Kolchak's army in the Eastern Front.
He and Paulāns were the first Latgalian ceramicists to create a large candlesticks with a numerous prickets that eventually became a trademark of the Latgalian ceramics. His works were exhibited in
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
and abroad, in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and other countries. Other Latgalian ceramicists, such as
Polikarps Čerņavskis
Polikarps Čerņavskis (8 May 1923 – 25 January 1997) was a Latgalian ceramicist. In 1996, he was awarded with the Order of the Three Stars.Antons Ušpelis cited Vilcāns as their influencer and teacher.
He was one of two Latgalian ceramicists, alongside his cousin
Andrejs Paulāns
Andrejs Paulāns-Kraskevičs ( Latgalian: Andrivs Povulāns-Kraskevičs, 30 November 1896 – 29 November 1973) was a Latvian and Latgalian ceramicist. He is regarded as one of the greatest Latgalian ceramicists. In 1937, Paulāns was awarded ...
who were awarded with a Gold Medal at the 1937 Paris Exhibition. In 1958, Vilcāns was recognized as the People's Artist of the Latvian SSR.
Vilcāns died on 8 May 1969. He is buried in the Antonišķi cemetery.