Dimensions: 53 x 39 cm
Inscribed on the reverse: 'Bohdanów Wileńszczyzna | F. Ruszczyc | 125', 'BOHDANÓW WILEŃSZCZYZNA | FRUSZCZYC | Z.125' and 'P. Galewicz', two paper exhibition stickers of the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts in Warsaw and the Society for the Friends of Fine Arts in Cracow, paper inventory sticker described in pen: 'F. Ruszczyc | Churches of Vilnius | oil | family's own' and a fragmentarily preserved paper sticker with the description: 'Dej 178/1 | (50,000,000)', on the frame auction stickers and a sticker of a framing workshop
Origin
collection of the artist's family
collection of Maria Galewicz, Warsaw
DESA Unicum, June 2009
private collection, Poland
Exhibited
Land and sea in the works of Ferdynand Ruszczyc 1870-1936, Museum of Western Pomerania in Szczecin, 1965.
Ferdynand Ruszczyc 1870-1936, National Museum in Warsaw, March 2-May 3, 1964
Ferdynand Ruszczyc 1870-1936. posthumous exhibition, Society of Friends of Fine Arts, Cracow, December 1937 - January 1938
Ferdynand Ruszczyc 1870-1936, Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts, Warsaw, November 20 - December 14, 1937
Posthumous exhibition of paintings and drawings by Ferdynand Ruszczyc, Vilnius, October 1937
Literature
Ferdynand Ruszczyc 1870-1936. exhibition diary, ed. by Janina Ruszczyc, National Museum in Warsaw, Warsaw 1966, ill. 124 (image shown in a photograph from an exhibition at the Western Pomerania Museum in Szczecin in 1965)
Land and Sea in the Works of Ferdynand Ruszczyc 1870-1936, exhibition catalog, ed. by Janina Ruszczycowna, National Museum in Warsaw, Western Pomerania Museum in Szczecin, Szczecin 1965
Ferdynand Ruszczyc 1870-1936, exhibition catalog, ed. by Janina Ruszczycówna, National Museum in Warsaw, Warsaw 1964, p. 53, cat. no. 83
Report of the Committee of the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts in Warsaw for 1937, Warsaw 1938, p. 47.
Ferdynand Ruszczyc 1870-1936. catalog of posthumous exhibition, Society of Friends of Fine Arts in Cracow, Cracow 1937, cat. no. 128.
Ferdynand Ruszczyc 1870-1936. guide 127, Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Warsaw 1937, p. 38, cat. no. 125
Catalog of the posthumous exhibition of paintings and drawings of Ferdynand Ruszczyc, Vilnius 1937, cat. no. 125
Biography
In 1890 he graduated with a gold medal from the classical gymnasium in Minsk-Litovsk and began studying law in St. Petersburg. In 1892 he transferred to the Academy of Fine Arts there, where from 1897 he studied under I. Shishkin and A. Kuindzhi. During his period of study, he made several trips, including to Crimea (1894 and 1895) and to Berlin and Sweden via Königsberg, Szczecin and Rügen (1896). In 1897 he settled in Bohdanov, from where he made a grand tour of Europe (Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy) the following year. In 1903 he took an active part in organizing the Warsaw School of Fine Arts, of which he was a professor from 1904 to 07. In the academic year 1907/08 he was a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. In 1908 he returned to Vilnius: he lived in Bohdanov and Vilnius. In 1918, he organized the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Stefan Batory University; he served as a professor of this faculty from 1919-32. Since 1900, he was actively involved in the Society of Polish Artists "Art" (in 1907 he was president, and organized several exhibitions of the Society, including in Vilnius 1903 and Vienna 1908, together with J. Mehoffer). Ferdynand Ruszczyc was one of the most outstanding Polish painters of the Young Poland period. He painted allegorical scenes, urban views and landscapes.