Aleksander Laszenko (1883 Annówka - 1944 Wloclawek), Belly Dance, 1935

color woodcut/paper
Size: 43.2 x 24.7 cm
Signed l.d.: 'A. Laszenko', described and dated p.d.: 'woodcut 1935'

Condition
Framed

Literature
Krystyna Kotula, Aleksander Laszenko, Catalogue of an exhibition of paintings and graphics, Włocławek 1992, cat. 68

Biography
After graduating from the cadet corps school in Poltava (1900), he became a student at the Konstantinovsky School for Artillery Officers in St. Petersburg, from which he graduated in 1904. At the same time he studied painting at the St. Petersburg Academy under Volkov, Dubovskoy, Makovsky and Riepin. In 1918 he came to Poland; initially he settled in the estate of Wola Sosnowska in Kujawy, and from 1932 settled in Wloclawek. In 1903-1904 he traveled around the world. Almost every year he went to Egypt. He visited the Middle East, Tunisia and Morocco, and traveled the Nile deep into Africa, reaching the then Belgian Congo in 1906, and Eritrea and the borders of the then Abyssinia in 1909. He also made expeditions to Asia, circumnavigated Europe, and voyaged around Poland. While in Egypt in 1922, he made the acquaintance of Howard Carter, the discoverer of Tutonchamon's tomb, and through this acquaintance made many sketches and notes at the site of his research. These many travels were reflected in the subject matter of his works. He painted deserts, oases, camels, donkeys, caravans, views of villages and cities (especially Jerusalem and Cairo), pyramids, Egyptian temples historic buildings and portraits of natives and scenes from their lives - markets, bazaars, farm work, prayer, their festivals. Also well-known, far less numerous, are native landscapes: seascapes, mountain and forest views. He also portrayed his friends and relatives in Eastern dress. In addition, he was involved in color woodcuts and lithography.