Author: Ludwika Nitschowa (born Krakowska, 1889 Radłów near Tarnów – 1989, Warsaw)
Bronze, cast made in 1977
Signed on the lower left: L. Nitschowa.
Property of the Dom Pracy Twórczej in Radziejowice, inv. no. 433/OT-26/2015
Gift from the Federacja Związków Zawodowych Pracowników Kultury i Sztuki (2015)
The sculpture portrays Stanisław Wyspiański (1869–1907), one of the most outstanding artist of the Young Poland period, who was active across numerous artistic fields, including easel and mural painting, printmaking, architecture, stained glass and furniture design, book typography, and theatre, as a playwright (The Wedding, Liberation, November Night), a set designer and costume designer, as well as a director.
The small head, depicted frontally and set on a stylised elongated neck, reveals a striking face, forcefully modelled with dense chisel strokes that leave a pronounced texture. A lock of hair falls onto the high forehead, while the head is covered with tousled hair, characteristic of many of Wyspiański’s self-portraits. In the elongated visage, the large, protruding eyes stand out, gazing with extraordinary intensity. The emaciated face, with clearly defined cheekbones, is framed by a short beard and a moustache descending toward tightly pressed lips. In this vivid characterization of the artist’s face, intended to convey the intensity of his focus and the depth of creative inspiration, the sculptor also captured the pain caused by the insidious illness that afflicted Wyspiański throughout most of his short life. This moving sculptural portrait clearly reflects Nitschowa’s deep engagement with numerous self-portraits by the artist, ranging from the so-called Blue Portrait of 1894, created at the dawn of his artistic career, to the last pencil drawing of 1907, executed at the end of his life.
Text: Elżbieta Charazińska
Editing: Beata Fiugajska
Photo: Piotr Ligier