Portrait of Anna Kurpiewska née Olszakiewicz

Hadziewicz employs a restrained brushwork that softens the facial features, creating a tranquil atmosphere. Light falls across the portrait, subtly illuminating the cheekbones and cap while the surrounding darkness recedes, a modest use of chiaroscuro that adds depth without dramatic contrast. The overall effect is a measured realism characteristic of mid‑19th‑century Polish portraiture.

Executed in 1860, the painting entered the holdings of the National Museum in Warsaw, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s effort to preserve works by prominent Polish artists of the realist period, highlighting Hadziewicz’s role in the nation’s artistic heritage.

During the 1860s, Polish painters like Hadziewicz were engaged in documenting the emerging middle class and their domestic environments. This portrait aligns with that trend, offering a glimpse into the attire and interior setting of a respectable woman of the era, while adhering to the realist emphasis on faithful observation.