Artwork
Study of a Boy
Study of a Boy is an oil painting by Władysław Ślewiński. It dates from 1902 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1902, *Study of a Boy* is an oil painting by Polish artist Władysław Ślewiński. Executed on canvas, the work portrays a young male figure in profile, his head turned slightly to the right. The composition is modest in scale and is part of the collection of the National Museum in Kraków.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a solitary boy, dressed in a dark beret and jacket, set against a loosely rendered background of muted tones. His gaze falls downward and his mouth is gently ajar, suggesting introspection or a moment of quiet thought. The subdued expression invites viewers to consider the inner life of the adolescent subject.
Technique & Style
Ślewiński employs soft, fluid brushwork to render the boy’s facial features, creating a delicate, almost lyrical surface. The handling reflects the influence of Symbolist and Synthetist practices he absorbed while working with Paul Gauguin’s circle, emphasizing flattened color areas and a restrained palette that balances light and shadow without strict realism.
History & Provenance
The painting emerged during the Young Poland period, a cultural movement that sought to blend national identity with modernist currents. After its creation, the work entered the holdings of the National Museum in Kraków, where it remains on public display, forming part of the museum’s representation of early 20th‑century Polish art.
Context
Ślewiński’s career was shaped by his studies under Gauguin and his participation in the Young Poland movement, which embraced expressive color and symbolic content. *Study of a Boy* exemplifies this synthesis, marrying a personal portraiture approach with the broader European shift toward abstraction and emotional resonance in the pre‑World War I era.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Władysław Ślewiński (1 June 1856 – 24 March 1918) was a Polish painter. He was one of Gauguin's students and a leading artist of the Young Poland movement.
