Collection of Ethnographic Drawings

Kajetan Wincenty Kielisiński created numerous etchings and drawings devoted to folklore, life in Polish villages and towns, historical monuments, and landscapes. He was one of the first to develop bookplates in Poland. During his travels to various locations, he collected graphic materials for the publications "Polish Antiquities" and "Folk Costumes". In 1855, Poznań publisher Jan Konstanty Żupanski published "Kielisiński's Album", which collected the artist's scattered works. Kielisiński's graphic works, drawings, sketchbooks, and correspondence were kept in the Kórnik Library of the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as in national museums (Kraków, Poznań, Warsaw) and renowned libraries (Jagiellonian University, Ossolineum, Warsaw University). The picture shows two women in traditional 19th-century peasant clothing. On the left, in the foreground, is a young woman wearing a long skirt and a tight-fitting jacket or coat that encircles her waist. A headscarf is tied at the back of her head, the ends of which fall below her shoulders. She is barefoot, which may indicate her poor background, but her posture is confident, and her gait is determined. In her right hand, she carries a basket filled with mushrooms, possibly for sale, while her left hand supports the hem of her skirt. Her expression is calm and slightly focused, with her gaze directed to the side. Somewhat behind her is another woman, probably older. She is dressed similarly – also in a skirt, apron, and wide-sleeved outer garment, with a headscarf tied around her head. The woman is standing or walking slowly, holding her left hand in front of her waist. Her gaze is directed forward or at the woman in front of her; she is probably talking to her or accompanying her. This is an image of peasant women in an everyday scene – one of them is probably going to or returning from the market. The figures are created by the author with attention to detail in their clothing, but they are slightly idealised, with characteristic plasticity of movement. The characters are arranged diagonally, which adds dynamism, with the foreground more detailed and the background simplified. Since the drawing accurately reflects and conveys the details and features of the folk clothing of a particular region, it has a pronounced ethnographic, historical, and cultural value. Its artistic significance lies in the accurate and detailed reproduction of folk costumes, making it a valuable source for research and study of traditional culture. From an aesthetic point of view, we are dealing with a realistic drawing, with a special emphasis on its documentary nature.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery