Artwork
Childhood portrait of Oleś Walicki (1805–1831) with a dog
Childhood portrait of Oleś Walicki (1805–1831) with a dog is an oil painting by Joseph Sonntag. It dates from 1812 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw.
About this work
Overview
This 1812 oil portrait by Joseph Sonntag depicts Oleś Walicki, a young boy born in 1805, accompanied by a dog. The work is part of the collection at the National Museum in Warsaw.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures a solemn Oleś Walicki, aged around 7, dressed in a black jacket with a white lace collar, standing beside a calm brown and white dog. Both subjects maintain direct eye contact with the viewer, conveying a sense of quiet intensity.
Technique & Style
Characterized by meticulous attention to detail and intricate brushwork, the painting achieves a lifelike quality in its rendition of the boy, the dog, and the naturalistic landscape background featuring trees against a blue sky.
History & Provenance
Created in 1812 by Joseph Sonntag, the portrait has been preserved in the National Museum in Warsaw, ensuring its accessibility for historical and artistic study.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joseph Sonntag painted formal portraits in the early 1800s. His brush captured Józia Walicka holding a dove around 1812, Franciszek Ksawery Christiani’s dignified face in 1822, and a woman lost in a red scarf two years…
