Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Improvised scene as a cleric, Zakopane
About Face: The David and Gail Mixer Collection of Photographs
Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz
1885 - 1939
Improvised scene as a cleric, Zakopane
2 gelatin silver prints, framed together
images approximately: 4¼ by 5 in. (10.8 by 12.7 cm.)
frame: 20 by 18 in. (50.8 by 45.7 cm.)
Executed in 1932, printing date unknown.
Condition Report:
Please note the colors and shades in the online catalogue illustration may vary depending on screen settings.
These prints, on paper with a subtle surface texture, are in generally excellent condition.
On the reverse, the numbers '1' and '3' are written in red wax pencil and circled. 'WK0002.038-C' is written in pencil in an unidentified hand.
When examined under ultraviolet light, these prints appear to fluoresce, suggesting they are modern prints.
Catalogue Note:
A prolific painter, writer, theorist and photographer, Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz was one of the most influential avant-garde artists in Poland during the early 20th century. Referring to himself as Witkacy, he was a member of the Formist group of pioneering artists who brought Modern art to Poland. His eccentric use of photography explored the psychology behind the figure. Through exaggerated facial expressions, extreme cropping, and props, Witkiewicz made images of multiple personas within the guise of self-portrait. Trauma informed his art, having witnessed the Russian revolution and the suicide of his fiancée. The day after the Soviet Union invaded Poland in 1939, Witkiewicz took his own life.
Provenance:
Collection of Stefan Okolowicz, Poland
Olivier Renaud-Clément
Acquired from the above in 2000 by the present owner
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About Face: The David and Gail Mixer Collection of Photographs
Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz
1885 - 1939
Improvised scene as a cleric, Zakopane
2 gelatin silver prints, framed together
images approximately: 4¼ by 5 in. (10.8 by 12.7 cm.)
frame: 20 by 18 in. (50.8 by 45.7 cm.)
Executed in 1932, printing date unknown.
Condition Report:
Please note the colors and shades in the online catalogue illustration may vary depending on screen settings.
These prints, on paper with a subtle surface texture, are in generally excellent condition.
On the reverse, the numbers '1' and '3' are written in red wax pencil and circled. 'WK0002.038-C' is written in pencil in an unidentified hand.
When examined under ultraviolet light, these prints appear to fluoresce, suggesting they are modern prints.
Catalogue Note:
A prolific painter, writer, theorist and photographer, Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz was one of the most influential avant-garde artists in Poland during the early 20th century. Referring to himself as Witkacy, he was a member of the Formist group of pioneering artists who brought Modern art to Poland. His eccentric use of photography explored the psychology behind the figure. Through exaggerated facial expressions, extreme cropping, and props, Witkiewicz made images of multiple personas within the guise of self-portrait. Trauma informed his art, having witnessed the Russian revolution and the suicide of his fiancée. The day after the Soviet Union invaded Poland in 1939, Witkiewicz took his own life.
Provenance:
Collection of Stefan Okolowicz, Poland
Olivier Renaud-Clément
Acquired from the above in 2000 by the present owner
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
