[WARSAW] Jerzy Pawłowski (1909–1991) — From the “Old Town” series, Watercolor/ink, mixed media, WARSAW, OLD TOWN, ZACHĘTA, WARSAW ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

An intimate veduta depicting one of the alleys of Warsaw’s Old Town. The composition is framed on the left by the illuminated facade of a historic townhouse with a decorative portal, rectangular windows in molded frames, and a large ground-floor window. On the right is a view of a narrow street running between tightly packed buildings of varying heights with red, sloping roofs. The scene is enlivened by the small silhouettes of passersby, sketched with a few bold pen strokes and splashes of color.
The work is executed in mixed media, presumably ink and watercolor on paper. The compositional framework is formed by loose, at times nervous lines that emphasize the contours of the architecture, the divisions of the facades, and the small details of the street scene. It is complemented by transparent watercolor washes in shades of yellow, ochre, blue, green, and brick red. The deliberately sketchy approach lends the depiction a sense of lightness and the character of a spontaneous sketch made while observing the city.
The composition belongs to the Warsaw veduta genre characteristic of Jerzy Pawłowski’s work. The artist focused not only on the documentary depiction of architecture but also on capturing the city’s daily rhythm. The juxtaposition of monumental architectural elements with the tiny figures of passersby creates the impression of a bustling, lively alley, while the freely applied watercolor softens the linearity of the drawing.
The work is signed in the lower left corner: “J. Pawłowski.” It is undated. Mounted under glass in a wide, brownish-gray passe-partout and a profiled frame with decorative corner appliqués and a surface finished in patinated silver.
On the reverse is a stamp from a Warsaw workshop: “Pracownia Ram i Oprawy Obrazów / W. Wiśniewski and B. Marczak / Aleje Jerozolimskie 35 / Warsaw.”
Jerzy Pawłowski was a Warsaw painter who specialized primarily in landscapes and vedute. From 1929 to 1931, he studied at the Warsaw School of Fine Arts, and subsequently earned his diploma from the painting studio at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He worked in oil, pastel, and watercolor, also tackling portraiture and caricature. Views of Warsaw, Kraków, and other historic cities, depictions of monuments, and religious interiors held a special place in his body of work. From 1958 onward, he was a member of the “Zachęta” artists’ group. In 1961–1962, he collaborated with the “Ruch” Publishing House, designing a series of postcards depicting monuments of Polish architecture; he also created views of religious architecture for the “Ars Christiana” publishing house. For much of his life, he lived in Miłosna near Warsaw. The artist’s works are held, among others, in the collections of the Museum of Warsaw and the National Museum in Warsaw.
Dimensions within the passe-partout: 20.5 × 13.5 cm.
Frame dimensions: 33.5 × 26.5 cm.
Condition: as shown in the photos.