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 depicts a scene from the lives of peasants or townspeople at that time. Among the crowd, nine people can be clearly distinguished, most of whom blend into the general mass. Judging by the picture's plot, a folk festival is taking place here, likely with dancing by individual characters. In the centre of the image is a young woman or girl, the only figure that is fully visible to the viewer. She is standing on tiptoe, wearing shoes or light boots, with her hands raised above her head, and it seems she is adjusting or supporting a tall, helmet-like headdress. She is dressed in a short, fitted jacket and a long skirt that almost reaches the ground, likely decorated with large floral patterns. To her right, a man in a hat and a long kaftan is playing the violin. Next to him stands a woman wearing the same helmet-looking headdress, which she is forced to hold with one hand. Between the violinist and the woman is a boy who has raised his hands and is clearly dancing. The violinist has bowed his head while playing and is most likely looking at the woman, while the woman and the boy are definitely looking at him. To the left of the central female figure, the faces of four people are visible, three women and one man. This group of people is depicted more densely, making it difficult to distinguish the personalised details of their clothing and silhouettes. In front stands a man playing a stringed instrument, probably a cello, holding a bow in his right hand and wearing a high-crowned fur hat. Two of the women in this group are clearly engaged in conversation with someone outside the frame; both women's gazes are directed towards this absent character. They appear to be extremely surprised, as both are shown with their mouths open and their facial expressions schematically indicate deep surprise and attention. Behind the cellist, another woman's face is partially visible. All of these women are wearing bonnets, headscarves, and boots. Thus, the scene depicts folk life, perhaps a holiday or fair, where musicians entertain the participants while everyone else trades, entertains themselves, and socialises. The people depicted have no background, only a generalised plane of earth on which the characters are placed. Obviously, the author intended to convey the mood of a folk festival, so individual features and details of clothing are absent here. The drawing is quite schematic; the characters are clearly and distinctly drawn, but without pronounced detail. Despite the image not being overloaded with details and being typified, almost every character depicted has a distinct emotion. Here, the woman and boy to the right of the violinist are interested in his playing, and the emotional tone of the communication between the two women to the left of the cellist is clearly expressed. The musicians are probably absorbed in playing their instruments, and their expressions are calm. As for the central figure's character, she appears somewhat restrained yet excited. Perhaps the girl is preparing to dance, as shown by her gesture with her hands towards her headdress, similar to the woman next to the violinist. The artistic significance lies in the reproduction of a scene from folk life, making it a valuable source for the research and study of traditional culture.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery