Brandt, Chełmoński, Gierymski...In Munich, in Paris, in Orońsko
14 December 2012 – 10 February 2013
Curator of the exhibition: Anna Król, coordinator: Elżbieta Skromak
The exhibition presents the paintings of eminent Polish painters of the second half of the 19th century, headed by Józef Brandt, who gathered around him a large group of artists including Józef Chełmoński, Aleksander Gierymski and Alfred Wierusz-Kowalski.
What all these artists have in common is that they acquired and developed their painting skills in Munich.
The “Polish Munich artists” primarily painted reflective landscapes that depicted the connection between humans and nature, recreating the contemplative relationship of artists with the world. They presented dynamic historical and battle compositions, as well as events from the January Uprising. They showcased the everyday and festive life of the Polish and borderlands provinces, creating a multicultural, exotic, and mythical image of Poland.
The phenomenon of the “Munich school” has been analyzed multiple times, as has the phenomenon of the city, which at that time was one of the most important and interesting centers of artistic life in Europe. Young painters beginning their studies could choose their studios and professors according to their own talents and explorations. The exhibition movement and art trade were also exceptionally lively. Artists arriving in the Bavarian capital from the Russian partition particularly felt the atmosphere of freedom and liberty. Some of them achieved spectacular success in a relatively short time and entered the narrow circle of princes of painting. Among them was Józef Brandt, around whom young Polish creators gathered. Brandt lived in Munich for his entire creative life, traveling to his homeland during the summer to his wife’s family estate – Orońsko.
However, there were artists who did not achieve artistic and financial success in Munich but acquired a perfect workshop and defined the themes of their works. One such artist was Józef Chełmoński, who went to Paris, where he successfully painted Munich themes, people, and horses in Polish landscapes – fairs in the borderlands, sanny, trójki, and czwórki – eagerly sought after by American and French collectors.
The exhibition features works by Józef Chełmoński, Aleksander Gierymski, Alfred Wierusz-Kowalski, as well as paintings by Wacław Szymanowski, Maksymilian Gierymski, Jacek Malczewski, and Olga Boznańska.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog.
