Young Poland in Paintings

• Characteristics of Young Poland:

  • Modernism is its general name.•Rejects positivism, scientificism and materialism.
  • Metaphysics: search of other spiritual reality beyond the material reality.
  • Theory of analogies: what is above, is below. Everything that exists in the material world would be a reflection of the upper spiritual world. Opposition material reality / spiritual reality.
  • Art as a way to connect with the supernatural reality through the usage of symbols (symbolic dimension of reality).
• Pessimistic philosophy of Schopenhauer (tragic sense of existence): until 1900. Two ways of scape: renounce to physical necessities and desires (similar to oriental philosophies such as Buddhism) or deliverance through aesthetic contemplation (art).
• Two opposite tendences: mysticism / nihilism.
• Philosophy of Henri Bergson: rejection of the role of reason in human perception, and belief in the superiority of intuition, of the irrational side of humans (dreams, imagination, daydreams).
• Worship of art for the art’s sake (Parnassianism): John Ruskin, Théophile Gautier. Rejection of utilitarism of art, and that art is employed as a mean in order to get other aims (political, social or ideological). The art is the aim by itself. Release the art from its historical circumstances and from its pedagogical and ideological function.
• Elitism of art: rejection of popular taste (artist in its ebony tower).
• Superiority of the artist: necessity of breaking with social conventions, moral values or commitments that could restrict his creative freedom.
• Impressionism Artists in Young Poland:

  • Władysław Ślewiński
  • Leon Wyczółkowski
  • Jan Stanisławski
  • Józef Pankiewicz
  • Władysław Podkowiński
  • Olga Boznańska
  • Józef Czajkowski
• Symbolism Artists in Young Poland:

  • Józef Mehoffer
  • Stanisław Wyspiański
  • Ferdynand Ruszczyc
  • Kazimierz Stabrowski
  • Witold Pruszkowski
  • Jacek Malczewski
• Expressionism Artists in Young Poland:

  • Konrad Krzyżanowski
  • Wojciech Weiss
  • Witold Wojtkiewicz
• Style Vienna Secession (Art Nouveau) Artists in Young Poland:

  • Teodor Axentowicz