Wlastimil HOFMAN (1881 - 1970), Boy, 1931

oil, canvas; 36 x 26.5 cm;
Signed and dated l. d.: Wlastimil Hofman / 1931

Provenance:
private collection, Poland

The offered painting is a representative example of Wlastimil Hofman's mature figural painting from the interwar period. The year 1931 marked the culmination of the artist's career - from 1922 onward, he regularly exhibited his works in Parisian salons, earning him recognition from European critics. A decade earlier, in 1921, his famous "Confession" was honored with an award at the Paris Salon (Salon de la Nationale), which opened the way to international fame.
In the work on display, the artist builds form through broad, fluid brushstrokes. The palette is maintained in warm flesh tones, juxtaposed with cool blues and greens of the background. The representation of the child was a central and recurring theme for Hofman throughout his career. The artist believed that children's faces, devoid of social masks and adult prejudices, were the ideal medium for conveying deep spiritual experiences and universal emotions. His Krakow studio in Zwierzyniec was constantly filled with child models. In his painting compositions, he often gave them an allegorical and spiritual dimension.