Artwork
Portrait of a Lady with Glasses
Portrait of a Lady with Glasses is an unspecified painting by Olga Boznańska. It dates from 1922 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków.
About this work
Overview
Olga Boznańska’s 1922 canvas titled Portrait of a Lady with Glasses is part of the collection of the National Museum in Kraków. The work presents a seated woman, her gaze directed downward, set against a dim, indistinct backdrop that emphasizes her introspective demeanor.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is depicted wearing spectacles, a hat, and a white blouse, with a watch visible on her left wrist. Her right hand rests quietly on her lap while the left hand leans on the chair’s armrest, suggesting a moment of private contemplation.
Technique & Style
Boznańska employs a restrained palette of muted tones and soft, delicate brushwork. The blurred treatment of the face and background creates a subtle atmospheric effect, focusing attention on the sitter’s subdued expression rather than on precise detail.
History & Provenance
Completed in the early 1920s, the painting entered the holdings of the National Museum in Kraków, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s commitment to representing Polish modernist portraiture.
Context
Created during a period when Boznańska was exploring psychological depth in portraiture, the work aligns with broader early‑twentieth‑century trends toward impressionistic rendering of interior states rather than overt realism.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Olga Boznańska (15 April 1865 – 26 October 1940) was a Polish painter who was stylistically associated with the French impressionism, though she rejected this label.
Portrait of Anna Ginzberg
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of Mrs Roubaud
Sketch Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a French Lady-Writer Gabrielle Réval
Stéphanie in White
Portrait of a Lady with a Necklace
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of Mme. Cézanne
Portrait of Mrs Getter – two-sided painting
The Bride Josine