pastel, gray ribbed paper; 64 x 52 cm;
Signed, dated and described at bottom: Witkacy 1932 I N ? 3 mc / NP 10 / NJM1m
The featured pastel shows a portrait of Zofia Kotkowska, née Zientarska. Although not marked with a letter type, one might think that it belongs to those described by the artist as "licked" or characterized by "niceness", i.e. A or B, possibly E, where: "The effect achieved may be completely equal to the result of types A and B - the path by which it is reached is different, as is the method of execution itself, which may vary."
Witkacy's author's markings in the composition communicate only that he had not used alcohol or tobacco and had not eaten meat for three months before taking up the work. Zofia Kotkowska lived in Ozarow Mazowiecki, and in 1928 bought the northern part of the estate from Stanislaw and Maria Reicher.
The hitherto unknown portrait of Zofia Kotkowska immortalized against a Tatra landscape, suggests that it was commissioned from Witkacy's atelier in Zakopane located in the "Tatra" villa. According to the account, the pastel, since its creation, was in the family collection of Zofia Kotkowska and later her heirs. Therefore, the presentation of the hitherto unknown image made by Witkacy is an even greater event on the art market.
The first formulated rules and regulations of the Portrait Company of Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz were created in 1925 during a joint exhibition with Tymon Niesiolowski, organized in Garlinski's salon in Warsaw. At that time, in the catalog for the exhibition, during which the artist presented only portraits, Witkacy announced that he would only be occupied with this subject matter in painting, since his other work did not receive the expected recognition. Witkacy also declared at this time that he had given up the theory of Pure Form in painting, which was ultimately not fully realized, since, as Irena Jakimowicz points out and as the updated version of Witkacy's Portrait Company regulations from 1928 states, many of the images created in the Portrait Company can be referred to by this term.
They were also distinguished by Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz himself, marking the less "licked" representations with the signature Witkacy, and those characterized by "niceness" with the full name. Also in the catalog of the Warsaw exhibition for the first time appeared the type of portraits, which the artist labeled with letters, also subjecting them to a brief characterization. These regulations have been expanded and updated, especially as regards the most demanding type C. A children's type was also added, representing a combination of the two previously listed in the inventory.
(Elaborated. based on: http://www.witkacy.hg.pl/firma/firma.htm;
http://www.witkacy.hg.pl/firma/regul.htm; Irena Jakimowicz, Anna Żakiewicz, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz 1885-1939. Katalog dzieł malarskich, Warsaw 1990)
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