Artwork

Sketchbook No. 2 - Landscape study - Moorish arcaded courtyard with cypresses; study of a woman with fan - two-page drawing

Sketchbook No. 2 - Landscape study - Moorish arcaded courtyard with cypresses; study of a woman with fan - two-page drawing is an unspecified painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Jan Stanisławski. It dates from 1897 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1897, this two‑page drawing by Jan Stanisławski combines a study of an architectural space with a figure sketch. The left side records a Moorish courtyard framed by white arches and domes, punctuated by slender cypresses, while the right side presents a woman holding a fan rendered in minimal line work. The composition balances architectural detail with a brief, gestural portrait.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing juxtaposes two motifs common to Stanisławski’s practice: an exotic, sun‑lit environment and a solitary figure. The courtyard suggests a tranquil, Mediterranean setting, its arches and trees evoking a sense of calm, whereas the fan‑holding woman introduces a fleeting human presence, hinting at leisure or contemplation within that space.

Technique & Style

Executed in a post‑impressionist manner, the work employs loose, expressive lines and a limited palette of whites, blues, and greens. The architectural elements are outlined with clear, angular strokes, while the figure is suggested with a few swift lines that capture gesture rather than detail. The background’s light blue wash unifies the two studies.

History & Provenance

Stanislawski produced the sketch as part of his broader series of landscape studies, later compiled as Sketchbook No. 2. After his career as a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, the drawing entered the National Museum in Kraków, where it remains in the museum’s collection.

Context

At the turn of the 20th century, Stanislawski was active in progressive Polish art circles, contributing to avant‑garde groups and literary societies. His interest in travel and foreign architecture informed works like this, which blend observational study with the expressive qualities of modernist painting.

Artist & collection

Artist

Jan Stanisławski

Jan Grzegorz Stanisławski (24 June 1860 – 6 January 1907) was a Polish modernist painter, art educator, and founder and member of various innovative art groups and literary societies.