Artwork
Portrait of a woman
Portrait of a woman is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Maria Gażycz. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1893, *Portrait of a Woman* is an oil painting by Maria Gażycz, a Belarusian‑born artist who later worked in Poland. The work is part of the National Museum in Warsaw’s collection and exemplifies Gażycz’s engagement with post‑impressionist aesthetics, emphasizing color modulation and subtle modeling of the figure.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a seated woman in a light‑toned dress, her head modestly covered, and adorned with a simple necklace and a bracelet. The plain gray backdrop isolates the figure, directing attention to her serene expression and the quiet dignity conveyed through her posture and attire.
Technique & Style
Gażycz employs smooth, blended brushwork to render the skin and fabric, achieving a soft transition of light across the face and hands. The subtle use of glazing—thin, translucent layers of paint—adds depth to the flesh tones, while the overall palette reflects the muted, atmospheric quality typical of post‑impressionist portraiture.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the holdings of the National Museum in Warsaw, where it remains on display. Gażycz, who also practiced art restoration, was a member of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, a vocation that informed both her artistic output and her later career.
Context
The work emerges from a period when women artists in Central Europe were navigating professional practice and religious life. Gażycz’s dual identity as a painter and a nun situates the portrait within broader discussions of gender, spirituality, and artistic innovation at the turn of the twentieth century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Maria Gażycz, née Maria Nowina-Chrzanowska (20 March 1860, Vishera, Kursk Governorate – 13 September 1935, Grodno) was a Belarusian-born Polish figure painter, art restorer, and nun in the order of the Sisters of the Holy Family of…
