Portrait of Władysław Żeleński 1908

Jacek Malczewski painted this portrait of Władysław Żeleński, though we don't know exactly when. It's a fascinating painting, the kind where you can see the artist really figuring things out as he goes along, building up the image with layers of brushstrokes. The texture is so present, especially in the face of Żeleński, where you can almost feel the weight of the paint. And notice the background, how it blurs into abstraction, a landscape seen through a dream. Then there's that birdcage and the figures that hold it: is the bird trapped or being set free? I keep coming back to the hands holding the floral wreath, floating there like a memory or an offering. The marks are so deliberate, so full of intention, like Malczewski is searching for something beyond just a likeness. It reminds me a bit of some of Munch's portraits, that same sense of psychological depth. This painting isn't about answers; it's about asking questions, about the beauty and mystery of the human condition.