Zofia Stryjenska
Encyclopedia
Zofia Stryjeńska - Polish painter
, graphic designer
, illustrator
, stage designer, a representative of art deco
, wife of Karol Stryjeński . Together with Tamara de Lempicka
, she was the best-known Polish artist of the interwar period.
via Austria-Hungary
, during which they visited galleries and museums in Vienna
and Venice
. As a young girl she worked for magazines such as "Role" and "Voice of the People".
On October 1, 1911 she was admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
; only 40 of around 200 applicants were taken. She used the name of her brother, Tadeusz Grzymala Lubański and dressed like a boy because at the time, the academy did not accept women. After a year, her fellow students started to become suspicious. She returned to Kraków, where she worked on painting and literature. Her first artistic success came in 1912, when the Society of Friends of Arts in Kraków included 18 of her watercolour illustrations of Polish Fables in its exhibition.
In May 1913, Jerzy Warchałowski, art critic of the Polish magazine "Time", discussed Sophia Lubański extensively, making her well known and launching her career. At that time, the family moved to bohemian Kraków, where she met Zelenski, Zdzisław Jachimecki, Puszetów and Wojciech Kossak
. She became friends with Magdalena Samozwaniec
and her sister Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska
.
On 4 November 1916 she married Karol Stryjeński, an architect of the Zakopane style
. She bore him three children: daughter Magdę and twins Jacka and Jana. Stryjeński introduced his wife to his friends, artists and representatives of world literature. She met, among others Wladyslaw Skoczylas
, Henryk Kune, Stefan Żeromski
, Władysław Reymont, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz and later several poets of the Skamander
group.
In the period 1921 - 1927, she lived in Zakopane, where her husband worked as a director of the School for the Wood Industry. This period, started out happy and with abundant creativity. However, over the years she estranged more and more from Karol, which eventually led to open conflict and divorce in 1927. Karol died in 1932.
After the divorce, she moved to Warsaw, where in 1929 she married actor Artur Klemens Socha. The marriage was soon ended, as she discovered that he suffered from syphilis
. By the end of the 30's she was tied up, also for a short time with the architect and bon vivant Achilles Brez and then with the traveller and writer Arkady Fiedler
.
In the first half of the 30's she was a forgotten artist. Stryjeńska did not and did not want to seek recognition. She desperately needed money, as she sold few paintings. Only in 1938 did she receive several orders from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including one for a carpet for the Emperor of Japan Hirohito
. She took part in the interior decoration of the Polish passenger ships "Bathory"and "Pilsudski" and the interior decoration of Wedel's cafe. People started buying her paintings of Slavic and historical themes again.
She spent the second world war in Kraków. In 1943 she discovered she had syphilis, which affected her eyes so that at times she could not paint. In the beginning of 1945 the Russians entered the city, instituting a communist regime. Stryjeńska decided to leave Poland. After living for short whiles in Geneva, Paris and Brussels, she settled in Geneva, where her daughter lived. Later, her sons joined them. She tried to go to the U.S., seeking help from the Kosciuszko Foundation. However, the Board of the Foundation, refused her. She continued to live very modestly in Geneva, as a rule refusing help, even from her sons. She remained emotionally connected with the Polish and Polish culture and Switzerland remained foreign country to her. She died in 1976 in Geneva and was buried in the local Chenebourg cemetery.
(Mloda Polska), a stylistically diverse art movement active between 1890 and 1918. She mainly used the tempera
technique, producing lithographs, drawings, posters, designing toys, tapestry, stage sets, stage costumes and making book illustrations.
Among her best known works are: pastorale, Slavic Idols cycle and Passover, as well as illustrations of the poem "Monachomachii" by bishop Krasicki
, Seasons, Christmas Carols, Four Polish Dances, and the sacraments.
She made part of the decoration of the Polish pavilion at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris in 1925, a series of six paintings for the twelve months, showing rural village life and seasonal change. This work brought her Europe-wide fame and five World Trade awards.
She made a series of paintings depicting Polish folk dance artists in 1927.
In many works, she depicting the pre-Christian Slavic gods worshipped in Poland. It should be noted, however, that the artist herself always considered herself a Christian. She was educated as a Catholic, but converted for a short time to the Evangelical Church in order to divorce and re-marry. Her fascination with the beliefs of ancient Slavs should be regarded as an artistic interest only.
of her time, using the pseudonym
"Professor Hilar". Her memoir, "bread almost every day" was published in 1995. Her writing is characterized by free flowing language and a rich vocabulary .
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, graphic designer
Graphic designer
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
, illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, stage designer, a representative of art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
, wife of Karol Stryjeński . Together with Tamara de Lempicka
Tamara de Lempicka
Tamara de Lempicka , born Maria Górska in Moscow, in the Russian Empire, was a Polish Art Deco painter and "the first woman artist to be a glamour star."- Early life :...
, she was the best-known Polish artist of the interwar period.
Biography
Stryjenska was the oldest of six children of Franciszek Lubański. As a child, she often drew and painted. She first attended a craft school, then a teacher's seminary, and until 1909 Leonard Stroynowski's private art school. In 1909 she started to study painting at the Maria Niedzielska fine art school for women. She graduated in 1911 with honors for painting and applied art. In 1910 she joined her father on a trip to ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
via Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, during which they visited galleries and museums in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. As a young girl she worked for magazines such as "Role" and "Voice of the People".
On October 1, 1911 she was admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich was founded 1808 by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria in Munich as the "Royal Academy of Fine Arts" and is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany...
; only 40 of around 200 applicants were taken. She used the name of her brother, Tadeusz Grzymala Lubański and dressed like a boy because at the time, the academy did not accept women. After a year, her fellow students started to become suspicious. She returned to Kraków, where she worked on painting and literature. Her first artistic success came in 1912, when the Society of Friends of Arts in Kraków included 18 of her watercolour illustrations of Polish Fables in its exhibition.
In May 1913, Jerzy Warchałowski, art critic of the Polish magazine "Time", discussed Sophia Lubański extensively, making her well known and launching her career. At that time, the family moved to bohemian Kraków, where she met Zelenski, Zdzisław Jachimecki, Puszetów and Wojciech Kossak
Wojciech Kossak
Wojciech Kossak was a Polish painter and member of the celebrated Kossak family of painters and writers...
. She became friends with Magdalena Samozwaniec
Magdalena Samozwaniec
Magdalena Samozwaniec née Kossak was a Polish writer. The Kossak family is known for many artists including her father Wojciech Kossak, her brother Jerzy and sister Maria.- Stories by Magdalena Samozwaniec :...
and her sister Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska
Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska
Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska, née Kossak , was a Polish poet known as the Polish Sappho and "queen of lyrical poetry" of Poland's interwar period...
.
On 4 November 1916 she married Karol Stryjeński, an architect of the Zakopane style
Zakopane Style architecture
Zakopane Style architecture is a mode inspired by the regional art of Poland’s highland region known as Podhale...
. She bore him three children: daughter Magdę and twins Jacka and Jana. Stryjeński introduced his wife to his friends, artists and representatives of world literature. She met, among others Wladyslaw Skoczylas
Wladyslaw Skoczylas
Władysław Skoczylas was a Polish artist.He was born in Wieliczka and died in Warsaw.In 1928 he won a bronze medal in the art competitions of the Olympic Games for his series of posters "Św. Hubert", "Diana", "Łucznik II", and "Łucznik III".-External links:*...
, Henryk Kune, Stefan Żeromski
Stefan Zeromski
Stefan Żeromski was a Polish novelist and dramatist. He was called the "conscience of Polish literature". He also wrote under the pen names: Maurycy Zych, Józef Katerla and Stefan Iksmoreż.- Life :...
, Władysław Reymont, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz and later several poets of the Skamander
Skamander
Skamander was a Polish group of experimental poets founded in 1918 by Julian Tuwim, Antoni Słonimski, Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, Kazimierz Wierzyński and Jan Lechoń....
group.
In the period 1921 - 1927, she lived in Zakopane, where her husband worked as a director of the School for the Wood Industry. This period, started out happy and with abundant creativity. However, over the years she estranged more and more from Karol, which eventually led to open conflict and divorce in 1927. Karol died in 1932.
After the divorce, she moved to Warsaw, where in 1929 she married actor Artur Klemens Socha. The marriage was soon ended, as she discovered that he suffered from syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
. By the end of the 30's she was tied up, also for a short time with the architect and bon vivant Achilles Brez and then with the traveller and writer Arkady Fiedler
Arkady Fiedler
Arkady Fiedler was a Polish writer, journalist and adventurer.He studied philosophy and natural science at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and later in Poznań and the University of Leipzig...
.
In the first half of the 30's she was a forgotten artist. Stryjeńska did not and did not want to seek recognition. She desperately needed money, as she sold few paintings. Only in 1938 did she receive several orders from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including one for a carpet for the Emperor of Japan Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
. She took part in the interior decoration of the Polish passenger ships "Bathory"and "Pilsudski" and the interior decoration of Wedel's cafe. People started buying her paintings of Slavic and historical themes again.
She spent the second world war in Kraków. In 1943 she discovered she had syphilis, which affected her eyes so that at times she could not paint. In the beginning of 1945 the Russians entered the city, instituting a communist regime. Stryjeńska decided to leave Poland. After living for short whiles in Geneva, Paris and Brussels, she settled in Geneva, where her daughter lived. Later, her sons joined them. She tried to go to the U.S., seeking help from the Kosciuszko Foundation. However, the Board of the Foundation, refused her. She continued to live very modestly in Geneva, as a rule refusing help, even from her sons. She remained emotionally connected with the Polish and Polish culture and Switzerland remained foreign country to her. She died in 1976 in Geneva and was buried in the local Chenebourg cemetery.
Artwork
Stryjeńska was part of the art group "Rytm" (rhythm). She may also have been influenced by Young PolandYoung Poland
Young Poland is a modernist period in Polish visual arts, literature and music, covering roughly the years between 1890 and 1918. It was a result of strong aesthetic opposition to the ideas of Positivism...
(Mloda Polska), a stylistically diverse art movement active between 1890 and 1918. She mainly used the tempera
Tempera
Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium . Tempera also refers to the paintings done in this medium. Tempera paintings are very long lasting, and examples from the 1st centuries AD still exist...
technique, producing lithographs, drawings, posters, designing toys, tapestry, stage sets, stage costumes and making book illustrations.
Among her best known works are: pastorale, Slavic Idols cycle and Passover, as well as illustrations of the poem "Monachomachii" by bishop Krasicki
Ignacy Krasicki
Ignacy Krasicki , from 1766 Prince-Bishop of Warmia and from 1795 Archbishop of Gniezno , was Poland's leading Enlightenment poet , a critic of the clergy, Poland's La Fontaine, author of the first Polish novel, playwright, journalist, encyclopedist, and translator from French and...
, Seasons, Christmas Carols, Four Polish Dances, and the sacraments.
She made part of the decoration of the Polish pavilion at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris in 1925, a series of six paintings for the twelve months, showing rural village life and seasonal change. This work brought her Europe-wide fame and five World Trade awards.
She made a series of paintings depicting Polish folk dance artists in 1927.
In many works, she depicting the pre-Christian Slavic gods worshipped in Poland. It should be noted, however, that the artist herself always considered herself a Christian. She was educated as a Catholic, but converted for a short time to the Evangelical Church in order to divorce and re-marry. Her fascination with the beliefs of ancient Slavs should be regarded as an artistic interest only.
Writing
Stryjeńska wanted to give her children a good education. She wrote a handbook on the etiquetteEtiquette
Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...
of her time, using the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"Professor Hilar". Her memoir, "bread almost every day" was published in 1995. Her writing is characterized by free flowing language and a rich vocabulary .