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Aleksander Gierymski

Witold Pruszkowski (1846-1896): Portrait Aleksander Gierymski, Munich 1889. Oil on canvas, 53 x 41 cm.
©
National Museum Warsaw / Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie (http://cyfrowe.mnw.art.pl)

When Aleksander arrived in Munich to study painting in 1868 he was immediately regarded as the younger brother of Maksymilian Gierymski. True, the latter had only arrived in the Bavarian capital one year previously. Nonetheless he had already become quickly recognised as a distinguished painter of themes from Polish history. When Maksymilian fell ill Aleksander was forced to accompany his brother on his travels and his stays at health resorts. It was not until his brother’s death in 1874 that he was finally able to relieve himself of the burden and stigma of being the “younger brother” and feel free to develop his own artistic talents. He is the creator of the famous, representative night views of Munich and Paris that are now in the Warsaw National Museum. Today his works belong equally to the highlights of Polish painting and the Munich School of Painters. 

Mediathek Sorted

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  • Ill. 1: In the Artist’s Workshop, 1869/70 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): In the Artist’s Workshop, Munich 1869/70.
  • Ill. 2: Playing Morra, 1874 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Playing Morra, 1874.
  • Ill. 3: Jewish Woman with Oranges, 1880/81 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Jewish Woman with Oranges, 1880/81.
  • Ill. 4: In the Gazebo, 1882 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): In the Gazebo, 1882.
  • Ill. 5: The Landing Stage at Solec (Sketch), 1883 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): The Landing Stage at Solec (Sketch), 1883.
  • Ill. 6: Doorway in the Old Town, 1883 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Doorway in the Old Town, 1883.
  • Ill. 7: Group Portrait with Alexander Gierymski, 1884 - Group Portrait with Aleksander Gierymski (right), Stanisław Witkiewicz (left) and Antoni Sygietyński (centre) looking at a painting, 1884.
  • Ill. 8: Trombone Party I, 1884 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Trombone Party, 1884.
  • Ill. 9: Sand dredgers, 1887 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Sand Dredgers, 1887.
  • Ill. 10: Max-Joseph Square in Munich by Night, 1890 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Max-Joseph Square in Munich by Night, 1890.
  • Ill. 11: Wittelsbacher Square in Munich by Night, 1890 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Wittelsbacher Square in Munich by Night, 1890.
  • Ill. 12: Angelus, 1890 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Angelus, 1890.
  • Ill. 13: The Louvre by Night I, 1891 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): The Louvre by Night I, 1891.
  • Ill. 14: The Paris Opera at Night I, 1891 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): The Paris Opera by Night I, 1891.
  • Ill. 15: Evening on the Seine, 1893 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Evening on the Seine, 1893.
  • Ill. 16: The Peasant’s Coffin, 1894 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): The Peasant’s Coffin, 1894.
  • Ill. 17: Ludwigs Bridge in Munich, 1896/97 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Ludwigs Bridge in Munich, 1896/97.
  • Ill. 18: The corner of the Plönlein in Rothenburg, 1896/97 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): The Corner of the Plönlein in Rothenburg, 1896/97.
  • Ill. 19: Inside the Basilika San Marco in Venice, 1899 - Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901): Insdie the Basilika San Marco in Venice, 1899.

Aleksander Gierymski
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Witold Pruszkowski (1846-1896): Portrait Aleksander Gierymski, Munich 1889. Oil on canvas, 53 x 41 cm.
Witold Pruszkowski (1846-1896): Portrait Aleksander Gierymski, Munich 1889. Oil on canvas, 53 x 41 cm.
©
National Museum Warsaw / Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie (http://cyfrowe.mnw.art.pl)

A feeling of increasing loneliness and isolation in Polish art circles led to Gierymski setting off on his travels once again. After his years in Munich in 1895 and 1897 he was on the road, mostly in Italy (Venice, Palermo, Amalfi, Rome and Verona) and on repeated occasions in Paris once more. He changed his painting style as often as the places he stayed. He portrayed the Castle park in Schleißheim in an almost pointillist manner; by contrast he portrayed the town walls in the Corner of the Plönlein in the old town centre of Rothenburg ob der Tauber (Ill. 18) in a realistic manner flooded with light. He created views of Italian squares, church courtyards and cathedrals in a summary arrangement of bright colours and with lovingly intricate architectural details; and everyday scenes full of people as in his picture of the Cathedral at Amalfi. With his view of the Inside the Basilika San Marco in Venice (Ill. 19), he succeeded in combining an astonishing mixture of styles made up of an almost photorealistic approach, impressionist details and effective contrasts between light and shade, Aleksander Gierymski passed away at some time between the 6th and 8th March 1901 in Rome. In Polish art history he is regarded as one of the most celebrated representatives of realism and a pioneer of experiments in light and colour in Polish painting during the second half of the nineteenth century (Ewa Micke-Broniarek).

 

Axel Feuß, December 2016

 

Further reading :

Münchner Maler im 19. Jahrhundert = Bruckmanns Lexikon der Münchner Kunst in vier Bänden, vol. 2, Munich 1982, p. 25

Agnieszka Morawińska: Polnische Malerei von der Gotik bis zur Gegenwart, Warsaw 1984 (German edition), p. 37 f.

Ewa Micke-Broniarek (National Museum Warsaw) on www.culture.pl, 2004

H. Kubaszewska, in: Saur Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon (AKL), vol. 53, 2007

Maksymilian Gierymski. Dzieła, inspiracje, recepcja, exhibition catalogue Nationalmuseum Krakau / Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie, Krakau 2014, p. 84

Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901), edited by Zofia Jurkowlaniec and others, Exhibition catalogue, National Museum Warsaw / Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, Warsaw 2014

Piotr O. Scholz: Zur Ausstellungspraxis polnischer Kunst im europäischen Kontext. Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901). National Museum Warsaw 20.3.-10.8.2014, in: Kunstchronik. Monatsschrift für Kunstwissenschaft, Museumswesen und Denkmalpflege, 68. Jahrgang, Heft 5, München Mai 2015, pp. 254-260

 

 
Witold Pruszkowski (1846-1896): Portrait Aleksander Gierymski, Munich 1889. Oil on canvas, 53 x 41 cm.
©
National Museum Warsaw / Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie (http://cyfrowe.mnw.art.pl)
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