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Orientalism – a fascination with the culture of the Near and Far East – was also uniquely reflected in Polish art of the 19th and first half of the 20th century. Inspired by travel, literature and European trends, Polish artists depicted exotic motifs, landscapes and figures from the Orient, weaving them into romantic or realistic narratives. The leading representatives of Polish Orientalism include painters such as Józef Brandt, known for his dynamic scenes of caravans and battles in Oriental settings, and Tadeusz Ajdukiewicz, who travelled around the Middle East and created realistic portraits of local inhabitants. Stanisław Chlebowski, court painter to Sultan Abdülaziz, and Franciszek Tepa, who captured the atmosphere of life in Egypt and the Middle East in his paintings, also played a unique role. Pantaleon Szyndler, fascinated by the subject of odalisques and harems, brought a touch of romantic orientalism to Polish painting. Other artists working in this vein included Jan Ciągliński, Wacław Pawliszak, Aleksander Laszenko, Franciszek Żmurko, Alfred Wierusz-Kowalski, Stanisław Kaczor-Batowski and Feliks Michał Wygrzywalski, who explored Eastern atmospheres, costumes, architecture and ethnic types in their works. In the 20th century, Orientalism underwent a transformation — artists such as Leon Wyczółkowski and Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (Witkacy) used elements of the Orient as a source of symbolic and metaphysical meanings rather than literal representations. Orientalism in Polish art was therefore not just an attempt to recreate exoticism — it was also a reflection of the dreams, longings and aesthetic pursuits of the era. Today, these works remain a fascinating testimony to the cultural dialogue between East and West.

We spent the May weekend of 2024 exploring Venice and, above all, viewing the 60th Venice Biennale! Of course, we did not miss the art of Ewa Juszkiewicz or the exhibition of Andrzej Wróblewski's art in the prestigious location of St. Mark's Square in Venice! The exhibition was highly acclaimed, and The Artnewspaper considered it one of the most interesting events accompanying the Biennale. This is already the fourth Polish art exhibition organised in Venice by the Starak Family Foundation.