Henryk Dyrdoń (1860 - 1894), Bronowice farmer (Portrait of a blacksmith in a cottage), 1884

oil, canvas; 33 x 26 cm;
Signed and dated right side: "Henryk Dyrdoń / 1884"
On the reverse:
- sticker with a description of the work (in print)
- fragment of a sticker of a goldsmith's and frame shop

Provenance:
private collection, Cracow

Condition:
craquelure, minor cracks in the paint layer

A unique composition by an artist of great talent, yet somewhat forgotten. His works are practically absent on the art market. A student of Jan Matejko, awarded and exhibited by the Society of Friends of Fine Arts, one of the creators of the decorations for the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cracow. Dyrdon's painting is an example of academic realism at its best. The image of the host captured while lighting a pipe is extremely evocative. Everything in this painting gives the impression of palpable intimacy. The details of the clothes, the creases of the fabric, the decor of the country cottage, and finally - the thoughtful face of the blacksmith. The light coming through the shutter, the flame of a matchstick or the flowers tucked behind the holy picture add to the lightness of the composition. A 19th-century work worthy of a museum collection.