Teodor Axentowicz (1859 Brasov/Romania - 1938 Krakow), The Feast of Jordan

oil, cardboard, 40 × 50 cm
Signed l. d.: "T.Axentowicz"

Hutsul themes appeared in Axentowicz's work in the early 1880s.The artist made trips from Lviv to the Hutsul region, from where he brought back sketches and notes. (...) In the winter and autumn of 1893 and 1894, the artist, during breaks in painting Panorama Raclawicka, traveled to the vicinity of Kolomyia and Jamna, where he observed the life and customs of the Hutsul people. This is how the sketches for Axentowicz's most famous paintings were created: "Hutsul Funeral," "The Feast of Jordan" and "Kolomyia," which he painted in his studio in Munich and Paris, and repeated many times in later years. (...) Other versions of "The Feast of Jordan" are kept in: National Museum in Cracow, National Museum in Poznan, District Museum in Lublin, Folk Building Museum in Sanok. The Feast of the Jordan - the Eastern custom of blessing water in a water hole on the Epiphany (Epiphany) holiday - celebrated in the Greek Catholic and Orthodox Churches on January 19, is a remembrance of Christ's baptism in the waters of the Jordan River. In the Hutsul region, this one of the most important holidays was celebrated with great solemnity. After the service in the Orthodox church, a procession would go out with lighted candles and flags, led by priests (or popes) in liturgical vestments. (...)." ("Teodor Axentowicz. Polish Armenian", 19.06-21.09.2014, State Art Gallery, Sopot, pp. 48-50 [cat. exhibition].