Dimensions: 93 × 83 cm
Gift of Alina and Jakub Glass, 1935
Inv. no. MP 392 MNW
Adoption period: 1 year
Biography
The painting depicts the family seat of the Ruszczyc family in the Bohdan estate in Vilnius region - a 17th-century wooden, one-story mansion with a high roof and a porch supported by columns, called the "old house" (in contrast to the brick building erected later). The metaphorical sense of the painting refers to the idea of duration, measured by the succession of generations of the house's inhabitants. It also evokes the topos of a Polish manor house - a refuge of noble-land tradition and a stronghold of patriotism during the tragic experience of national bondage. Such an interpretation is suggested by the dramatic, disturbing mood of the painting. Heavy clouds are moving over the human residence growing into the ground, honeysuckle branches are tangling in the gusts of wind, with a huge cap covering the roof of the building. The presence of the peacock seems ambiguous - since ancient times this bird has symbolized immortality, but its sharp, penetrating cry is perceived as a harbinger of misfortune or death. The old house burned down during World War II.
Views of the family estate inspired Ferdinand Ruszczyc many times, but he never reproduced them in an imitative way.
