Łowicz wycinanki at the Ethnographic Museum in Kraków, Poland. Photo by Alicia Baca.
While the art and architecture of Poland typically may not be at the forefront of most writings that cover this topic at large, the creative output of the nation is equally as complex, rich, and diverse as its history. Poland is home to vibrant and colorful folk crafts and world-famous ceramic works, however, like many other nations, the country’s artistic expression and output has also been shaped by influences from abroad. The Baroque period saw the rise of extravagant and ornate designs, while Romanticism of the 19th century saw a resurgence of national identity through works depicting Polish landscapes and folklore. Artistic works of the 20th century and beyond introduced modernist movements against the turbulent backdrop of war and resilience, which led to innovative architectural solutions and avant-garde art. While traveling around Poland, one can visit many museums to see such works like the dramatic historical paintings of masters like Jan Matejko to the otherworldly, dystopian visions of modern artists like Zdzisław Beksiński. Museums are not the only places where one can find art either! Many places of worship, historical sites, and public buildings are works of art. With Medieval brick churches, awe-inspiring Gothic cathedrals, and meticulously reconstructed historical town centers one does not have to go far to see the creative legacy and ingenuity of Polish creatives both old and new alike.
Polish Folk Art
Polish folk art is deeply rooted in the traditions of rural communities and often characterized by bright colors, intricate patterns, and unique craftsmanship. These works most often featured themes related to nature, folklore, and religious symbolism and come in various forms, including decorative arts, pottery, paper cuttings, and other works that reflected the everyday life, beliefs, and customs of the Polish people. Techniques and styles varied (and still vary) across regions, highlighting local materials and influences. Today, Polish folk art continues to thrive and is even displayed in museums, festivals, and many artisans keep these traditions alive while also embracing modern interpretations.
Bolesławiec Pottery
Works on display at the Bolesławiec Pottery Festival. Photo by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, via Flickr.
Bolesławiec pottery, also commonly known as Polish pottery, is made in the town of Bolesławiec located in southwestern Poland. This type of stoneware pottery has an extraordinarily long history dating back to the Middle Ages. These pieces are exceptionally durable and easily recognized by their deep indigo blue and creamy white coloring that most often have polka dot patterns but can sometimes include colorful images of flowers and animals. These pieces are found in various forms such as mugs, teapots, plates, small figurines, and spoons!
Wycinanki
Wycinanki is an artistic form of detailed and intricate paper cutting, which has long been popular in Poland as well as other countries such as Belarus and Ukraine. In Poland wycinanki vary by region with areas like Kurpie being known for their single-color cut-outs, while places such as Łowicz are known for their vibrant multi-color pieces. Wycinanki depict a wide variety of shapes and images including animals, trees, birds, flowers, people, and many more. Nature has long served as one of the main sources of inspiration symbolizing the relationship between heaven and earth.
Wycinanki from the Ethnographic Museum in Kraków. Photos by Alicia Baca.
18th Century Art
Art from 18th century Poland is known for its adaptability, merging European influences with local artistic traditions. This fusion later evolved into a burgeoning national awareness that influenced future artistic trends, particularly during the Partitions. Early in the 18th century, Polish art was strongly influenced by the Baroque style that originated from Italy. Baroque art is recognized by its dramatic expressions, magnificence, and the use of rich colors and intricate details. This style was popular in the creation of religious artworks and architectural designs and is often seen in churches and palaces. As the century continued to move forward the Rococo style from France also emerged as a major influence on the Polish artistic style. Rococo art emphasized elegance, lightness, and highly ornate decoration. As such, this style was directly associated with the aristocracy and was particularly popular in decorative arts such as furniture, ceramics, and interior design. Both styles can be seen in places like the Royal Castle in Warsaw and many other museums.
Rooms from the Royal Castle in Warsaw. Photos by Alicia Baca.
However, as you have read in the section covering the Partitions of Poland, the end of the last decades of the 18th century saw the erasure of Poland off the map, which undeniably had an impact on the art that was created during the next chapter in Poland’s history.
Art During the Partitions of Poland
Art created during the partitions was marked by Polish creatives striving to maintain a sense of national identity. As mentioned above, Poland had formally ceased to exist at the end of the 18th century when it was divided between Russia, Prussia, and the Habsburg monarchy. Over the course of the following century, the partitions shaped the creative approach of Polish artists who worked to preserve the Polish culture and identity in their works. The 19th century saw the rise of Romanticism which also played a significant role in Polish art during this turbulent time in the country’s history.
Unlike the extravagant and grandiose works of the Baroque and Rococo styles, Romanticism was distinguished by a new interest in the individual, subjectivity, expression of personal feeling, and interest in nature. This movement was a response to the Age of Enlightenment of the 18th century, and physical materialism overall. This shift in creative attitudes was crucial during this period in Polish history as it aided in preserving the cultural roots of a dismembered community while also helping to create a national mythology. Works during this period featured scenes from Polish history, folklore, landscapes, and other cultural themes.
Self-portrait (1892) by Jan Matejko. National Museum, Warsaw. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
One of the most well-known artists during this period was Jan Matejko (1838-1893), whose exposure to revolutions in Kraków during his youth influenced the themes and subjects of his work. Matejko studied at the Kraków Academy of Fine Arts and traveled to Munich and Vienna to continue his education. He later returned to Kraków where he spent the rest of his life. Matejko’s art is well known for his large and detailed historical paintings that depict scenes from Polish history which played a key role in promoting national identity during the partitions. Below you can see copies of some of his paintings as well as how they are displayed in museums to get a sense of how massive they are in person.
Other notable painters from this period include Witold Pruszkowski (1846-1896), a Symbolist painter who painted many scenes from folklore (Rusałki/Sirens) and everyday life (Kiedy ranne wstają zorze/When Dawn is Breaking). If you would like to learn more about how art played a vital role in preserving the national identity of Poland during this period in Polish history, check out this great article from Notes from Poland.
Stańczyk by Jan Matejko in the National Museum of Warsaw. Photo by Alicia Baca.
20th Century Art and Beyond
Young Woman in Green (photo from the Tamara de Lempicka Estate, LLC)
The 20th century saw the final years of the partitions, the rise of an independent Poland, but also the horrors of the two World Wars. In addition to numerous changes happening in history and politics, there were many changes in the arts scene. Polish art in the 20th century began with a strong connection to the avant-garde movements that were happening across Europe, with artists like Władysław Strzemiński and Tamara de Łempicka making significant contributions to movements such as Constructivism and Surrealism. Strzemiński was influential in developing Unism, an artistic style that emphasized the unity of composition, which eventually became a cornerstone of modern Polish art. Łempicka on the other hand is renowned for her distinctive blend of Art Deco elegance and Constructivism, often depicting strong, glamorous women in bold, geometric forms. Her use of vibrant colors and precise, polished technique captures the opulence and dynamism of the Roaring Twenties, making her work both timeless and iconic.
World War II and its aftermath left a deep impression on Polish art and culture, with many artists confronting themes of war, destruction, and identity in their works. The post-war period was dominated by Socialist realism. Socialist realism was the style that was officially sanctioned by Poland’s communist government. This style required that artists focus on glorifying the working class and the achievements of the state. Artists like Wojciech Fangor and Andrzej Wróblewski navigated the tensions between personal expression and state-imposed themes.
Bricklayers by Wojciech Fangor. Museum of Warsaw. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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The thaw of the 1950s allowed for greater artistic freedom, leading to the emergence of the Polish School of Posters, which gained international acclaim for its innovative and often subversive graphic design. Artists like Henryk Tomaszewski and Jan Lenica became prominent figures in this movement, blending modernist aesthetics with satirical commentary. This school would also become the birthplace of Jerzy Janiszewski’s iconic logo that would represent the Solidarność (Solidarity) movement of the 1980s which is covered in the 20th century history section of this module.
During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Polish art began to flourish with the fall of communism in 1989 opening the door to new influences and artistic practices from across the globe. Contemporary Polish artists like Wilhelm Sasnal, Paweł Althamer, and Katarzyna Kozyra gained international recognition as their works often addressed issues of memory, identity, and the post-communist experience.
The Role of Art in Architecture and Reconstruction
Warsaw Old Town Market Square, Barss Side. See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
While art goes hand in hand with architecture, in Poland the two have a particularly special relationship with one another. It is thanks to paintings and drawings from previous centuries that places like Old Town Warsaw were able to be reconstructed following World War II. As you may have learned in the history section of this module or in history classes that covered World War II, many areas of Poland were destroyed during the war and Nazi German occupation of the country, specifically during the Warsaw Uprising. While photos and paintings could certainly tell architects and builders what these parts of Warsaw looked like in the past, many of those archives were destroyed or stolen. However, not all hope was lost and historic sites such as Old Town Warsaw were able to be returned to their former glory.
Bernardo Bellotto, also known as Canaletto (1697-1768), was an Italian topographical painter who specialized in detailed views of cities such as Venice, London, and Warsaw. Canaletto came to Warsaw in 1767 and spent the last decade of his life there working for King Stanisław August. Among other pieces Stanisław August commissioned from Canaletto were 22 vistas presenting the most important points of the capital of the then Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. These works were intended to decorate one of the rooms in the Royal Palace and they still hang today.
Because Canaletto’s paintings were done in such detail, architects were able to rebuild the Old Town with precision. It is thanks to pieces such as the paintings by Canaletto that were recovered that they could rebuild areas in Old Town Warsaw with such detail. If you ever visit Warsaw, you can even see some of these paintings on display as you walk around the city! Prints of Canaletto’s paintings are displayed on glass blocks around Warsaw and because of they are positioned at an angle, you can look at the image of his painting and then look behind it to see the scene he rendered in real life.
Other notable figures who played a key role in the reconstruction of Warsaw included Stanisław Lorentz (l1899-1991) who was a former director of the National Museum in Warsaw and Jan Zachwatowicz (1900-1983) who was a Polish architect and architectural historian. Both men along with students of theirs developed incredibly detailed archives of the layout, design, construction, and finer artistic details of how Warsaw’s Old Town was laid out. While these archives were originally stolen and kept under lock and key by the Nazi Germans, these two also managed to smuggle the archives back into the hands of the Polish people. Without documents such as these, we would not have the Old Town Warsaw that exists today. Warsaw was not the only city to be restored after World War II. Numerous historical buildings in Gdańsk, Poznań, and Wrocław were reconstructed following the principles set by Zachwatowicz and his team.
It should be noted that parts of these buildings survived the destruction of the war. One of the easiest ways to tell if part of a structure is original or reconstructed is to look for marks left by bullet holes and other artillery. The Royal Castle in Warsaw is a good example of this as the leftmost column on the front of the building shows such damage. While it may seem to make sense to rebuild these structures completely anew, the parts that survived not only maintain ties to the past, but also serve as a reminder of what the Polish people and their country went through during World War II.
Original column of the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland. Photo by Alicia Baca.
Architectural Styles
Other types of architecture can also be found throughout the country as well. During the Piast Dynasty, many churches were constructed in a style called Gotyk ceglany (Brick Gothic) which was popular in Central and Northeastern Europe. Some notable buildings that are constructed in this style include St. John the Baptist’s Church in Old Town Warsaw and Malbork Castle which is the largest medieval Brick Gothic structure in Europe.
Malbork Castle, Poland by Wisniowy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
In Warsaw examples of Socialist style buildings also exist along the streets of New Town Warsaw. These buildings were constructed to create a sense of equality amongst everyone living there. One notable building done in the communist style of architecture is the Palace of Culture and Science in downtown Warsaw. It is currently the tallest building in the capital at 778 feet high. The building itself is controversial as it was a “gift” to the Poles from Moscow during the time of communist Poland. Those who are familiar with Soviet architectural history might think this building looks familiar. In fact, it was built to resemble structures like the main building found on the campus of Moscow State University. Today the Palace of Culture and Science is used for a wide variety of purposes and houses cinemas, cafes, university classes, a viewing terrace, and much more.
Palace of Culture and Sciencein Warsaw, Poland.
By kilhan (Adobe Stock: #162238413).
Lastly, there are also several contemporary buildings that have given Warsaw the nickname “the Manhattan of Poland.” Walking through downtown, one will notice many skyscrapers with huge windows that shine like a mirror in the daytime. One contemporary building that should be highlighted is Museum of the History of Polish Jews POLIN. This building was constructed in 2013, and the museum was opened to the public in 2016. The building was designed by Finnish architect Rainer Mahlamäki and his Polish partner Ilmari Lahdelma. What is most recognizable about this building is the glass exterior which was designed to represent the splitting of the Red Sea in the biblical story of the Exodus. The interior of the museum also allows itself to be used as an educational tool that helps visitors think about this community that has long had ties to Poland.
Visit the Arts and Culture landing page for suggested learning activities pertaining to this topic.