BUST OF A WOMAN - STUDY, 1915-1920
Oil, cardboard; 56 x 46.5 cm
Inscription l.d.: For the original | Mieczyslaw Szczuka | guaranteed. | Bolesław Gierzkiewicz
Expert opinion by Irena Ball
An early work by the master of the avant-garde, maintained in the tradition of Young Poland art, typical of the works of the students of the Warsaw School of Fine Arts from 1915-1920. Fully corresponding stylistically and historically to Szczuka's work from his student years. (cf. Triptych, 1916-18, National Museum, Warsaw)
The author of the inscription on the painting, Boleslaw Gierzkiewicz, was Szczuka's colleague from his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts. He is recalled by Wanda Gentil-Tippenauerowa, who befriended Szczukaduring his studies: heappeared in the studio at the time, Bolcio Gierzkiewicz (...) meticulously collecting drawings and cartons abandoned by Szczuka.He [Szczuka] once immortalizedhim in gloomy black tones andBolcio Gierzkiewicz as a gypsy with acloak over his shoulder, from under which rolls of Szczuka's works emerge. After Szczuka 's death ,friends prepared the artist's works for printing. Bolcio Gierzkiewiczturned out to beprovidential.From himMietek's works taken by him from the School were borrowed for photography (Wanda Gentil-Tippenhauer, Man andArtist, in Mieczyslaw Szczuka ,Warsaw 1965, pp. 130-131, 137)
Painter, creator of typographic projects, photomontages, architectural, stage design and abstract experimental films; leading representative of Polish constructivism and productivism. He studied art from 1915-1920 at the Warsaw School of Fine Arts under Milosz Kotarbinski. Here he met his future life companion and collaborator, Teresa Zarnower. Szczuka's artistic attitude was initially influenced by Cubism, Futurism and Expressionism. Full of drama, the artist exhibited religious paintings in 1920 at the Polish Art Club in Warsaw. In 1921, he exhibited multifaceted spatial compositions made of wood and papier-mâché that were the result of experiments in textural effects and color intensity.
In 1924 he became a co-founder of the avant-garde Cubist Constructivist and Suprematist Group "Blok". Inspired by the experiences of the Futurists and Dadaists, he undertook experiments in film and theatrical staging. He was one of the pioneers of photomontage; he was the author of compositions surprising in their diversity of meaningful associations, which he referred to by the term "poesioplasty."
