Paul Lantuch is a creator of art that transcends the passage of time. He conceives, draws, designs and executes each project with exquisite mastery across a wide array of media.
Paul grew up in Vilnius, Lithuania–a city brimming with Italian baroque and a multitude of cultures. In his youth, he was drawn to a group of artists, writers, and directors who in their exchange of ideas challenged one another.
During this period Paul travelled to St. Petersburg to see the Hermitage where he befriended the curator of the arms and armour department. Paul had access to areas of the Hermitage, which were not on common display including the Scythian gold collection, “It took a culture with very wild and big instincts to create this.”
As his work became more widely known, Paul increasingly received private commissions, arousing government suspicion. Intrusions into his home by the KGB became more frequent. But one government commission he could not refuse: To create for the head of the Soviet Union’s Politburo, Leonid Brezhnev an Objet d’art. The resulting piece was shaped like a casket and underneath layers of enamel Paul engraved a list of Russian curses. Soon after, in 1980 Paul secured an exit visa and, together with his family, came to the USA.
Paul adapted quickly, immediately working with Sturm Ruger. A period working in jewelry followed and his work was much admired and sold well at Neiman & Marcus. Other work included book illustrations and designs for wine labels. In 2003 Paul set up an academy for Ruger to teach engraving until the Ruger family was no longer involved with the company. Paul continued to engrave guns for various makers based in USA.
He began his collaboration with Westley Richards, the celebrated English maker of unique and especially good shotguns and rifles, in 2011.