pastel/brown paper, 64 x 48.5 cm, signed p.d.: Witkacy (TC+Et) / 1930 IV , painting in an old frame framed in a new frame
in her review, Dr. Anna Żakiewicz wrote, among other things, "April 1930 was a period of Witkacy's intensive experiments with drugs (cocaine, harmine and ether), and the more than 50 portraits of various people made in that one month under their influence are among the most expressive in his oeuvre and include at least nine images of Inka Turowska. The portrait under discussion is one of them. In it, the model's face is deformed - greatly simplified, but retaining her characteristic features, i.e. huge, intensely staring blue eyes, regular thin eyebrows and small, bright red lips. In addition, the artist used one of his favorite artistic tricks, the so-called tight frame used to increase the expression of the portrait. The face is framed from above by a fringe falling on the forehead, and from below - by hands supporting the cheeks that look like cat's paws, which, combined with the large and clearly slanted eyes, makes the model resemble a cat and gives her image a predatory character. [In summary - the portrait in question is extremely interesting for many reasons. Not only because of its described artistic qualities, but also because of the person of the model and the period of its creation - the most prolific and abundant in formal experiments."
state of preservation: good, minor damage along edges.
Provenance:
- Private collection, Warsaw;
- DA Ostoya, 5th auction 04.10.1998, item 64 (purchased just after the auction);
