Portrait of a lady, sketch

Executed in oil on canvas, the sketch employs a limited tonal range to model form through subtle gradations of light and shadow. The background’s earthy hue functions as a neutral field, allowing the delicate modeling of the face and hair to stand out. The handling reflects Ajdukiewicz’s realist training, emphasizing accurate observation over idealization.

Polish realist Tadeusz Ajdukiewicz, educated in Kraków during the Austrian partition, produced the work as part of his extensive portrait practice. The painting entered the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, where it remains accessible to the public as a representative example of his late‑19th‑century output.