Banquet

Zygmunt Waliszewski prints bring the warm, glowing colour and good humour of one of Poland's leading Colourist painters into your home. Waliszewski grew up in Tbilisi, studied in Kraków and Paris with the Kapists, and kept painting a cheerful, expressive world even after a terrible illness. Our collection of fine art prints includes his still lifes, nudes, portraits, early Cubist works and playful drawings.

About Zygmunt Waliszewski

Zygmunt Waliszewski was born in Saint Petersburg in 1897 into a Polish engineer's family. In 1907 the family moved to Tbilisi in Georgia, where he studied painting and, at eleven, showed his work in an exhibition of child prodigies. During the First World War he served in the Russian army. In Moscow he met artists of the World of Art group, saw the great collections of French painting, and was inspired by the Russian Futurists.

In the early 1920s he moved to Poland and studied at the Kraków Academy of Fine Arts under Wojciech Weiss and Józef Pankiewicz. In 1924 he went to Paris with Pankiewicz's students, the Kapists, and continued to study there until 1931. While in Paris he fell ill with Buerger's disease, and both his legs had to be amputated.

He returned to Poland in 1931 and lived in Warsaw and Kraków. Despite his disability he kept working: he designed stage sets and posters, illustrated books, drew caricatures, and in 1935–1936 painted a ceiling in the Hen's Foot tower at Wawel Castle. He married in 1933 and died in Kraków on 5 October 1936.

Style and Subjects

Waliszewski was a Colourist: colour, laid on in rich, warm harmonies, does most of the work in his pictures. His early paintings from Tbilisi show the influence of Cubism and Futurism, with broken forms and bold structure.

His mature work is joyful and expressive. He painted landscapes, still lifes, portraits and figure groups, often reworking famous old master paintings, and borrowed the playful world of the commedia dell'arte. Banquets, carousels, singers and bathers appear in loose, lively brushwork.

Famous Works

• Cubist Self-Portrait (1916), National Museum in Warsaw. An early self-portrait from his Futurist years in Tbilisi.
• Still Life with a Bottle (1916), National Museum in Warsaw. A Cubist-influenced still life from the same period.
• Man in a Green Tailcoat (1919), National Museum in Warsaw. A figure painting from his last years in Georgia.
• Amazon (1921), National Museum in Warsaw. A painting from his first year at the Kraków Academy.
• Self-Portrait in a Turban (1929), National Museum in Warsaw. The artist in costume, painted during his Paris years.
• Banquet I (the Large) (1933), National Museum in Warsaw. A festive figure composition from his last years.
• Breakfast on the Grass, after Watteau. One of his free variations on an old master.

Decorating with Waliszewski Prints

Waliszewski's warm colour and lively brushwork brighten living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens. His still lifes, such as Still Life with Almonds or Bouquet of Roses, suit a breakfast nook or sideboard.

The carousels, singers and playful drawings, such as Soldiers' Carousel, have a light-hearted charm for a child's room or family room. His nudes and portraits work well in a bedroom or study, and his early Cubist pieces fit a modern interior.

FAQ

Who were the Kapists?

The Kapists were young Polish painters who studied with Józef Pankiewicz and went to Paris together in 1924. They became leading Polish Colourists.

What art movement was Zygmunt Waliszewski part of?

He was a member of the Kapists and a leading Polish Colourist. His early work in Tbilisi was influenced by Cubism and Futurism.

What illness did Waliszewski have?

In Paris he developed Buerger's disease, a circulation disorder, and both his legs were amputated. He continued to paint until his death in 1936.

Where can I see Waliszewski's paintings?

The National Museum in Warsaw holds a large collection of his work. His ceiling painting is in the Hen's Foot tower at Wawel Castle in Kraków.

What makes Waliszewski's style recognizable?

Look for warm, glowing colour, loose brushwork, a playful mood and free variations on famous old master pictures.

Related Artists

• Józef Pankiewicz: his teacher in Kraków and Paris, leader of the Kapists
• Wojciech Weiss: his teacher at the Kraków Academy
• Pierre Bonnard: French Colourist whose example shaped the Kapists
• Tytus Czyżewski: Polish avant-garde painter of the Kraków Formists, whom he befriended