Waclaw Taranczewski (1903-1987), STILL LIFE WITH HOLIDAY, 1960s.

oil/canvas, 100 x 130 cm
signed l.d.: monogram T.
The featured painting belongs to the series of works "Still Life with a Saint". The artist has returned to this theme many times. "There are a huge number of versions of this theme, from studio to simplified. These simplifications have been explained by the Matissian inspiration, but for me it is more likely to be the infatuation with the naive form of the title saint. Strzeminski's Unism was not without influence on Father's respect for the picture plane. Shortly before his death, he told me that he used to visit him in Lodz [...]" (Paweł Taranczewski, Drogi mego Ojca [in:] Art@ Business, 6/2005, Warsaw, p. 22)
He began his artistic studies in 1921 at the State School of Decorative Arts in Poznań. He then continued his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. Financial difficulties forced the artist to return to Poznań and the School of Decorative Arts. In 1923, he managed to start his studies in Cracow and completed his first year. Here he came into contact with the Futurists, Leon Chwistek and Maria Jarema. In 1927 he ended up in Kowarski's studio and moved to Warsaw. After the war, he became involved in organizing artistic life in Poznan, and from 1960 he became permanently associated with Krakow. His paintings show a commitment to simplifying the subject and shallowing the space.