Artwork
Harvesting beetroots
Harvesting beetroots is an oil painting by Franciszek Łubieński. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw.
About this work
Overview
Franciszek Łubieński’s oil painting Harvesting Beetroots, executed around 1910, is part of the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw. The work portrays a rural labor scene in which several figures, dressed in hats and long‑sleeved shirts, are engaged in pulling beetroots from a verdant field under a clear, lightly clouded sky.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on cooperative agricultural work, emphasizing the rhythm of manual harvest. The participants are shown in concentrated posture, suggesting a shared purpose and the seasonal rhythm of countryside life. By highlighting ordinary labor, the painting reflects an interest in everyday realities rather than heroic or mythic narratives.
Technique & Style
Łubieński employs a warm palette of earthy reds, ochres and soft greens, which imparts a gentle, inviting atmosphere. The brushwork is relatively smooth, allowing clear definition of figures and foliage while preserving a sense of movement. The overall approach aligns with early‑20th‑century genre painting that favors realistic representation of daily scenes.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1910, the canvas entered the National Museum in Warsaw’s holdings, where it remains on display. Its acquisition date is not publicly recorded, but the work has been cited in catalogues of Łubieński’s oeuvre as an example of his interest in rural subjects during the pre‑World War I period.
Artist & collection
