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Girl with Chicks, circa 1923-27
Child portrait painted by Tadeusz Makowski around 1923-27. The painting depicts a thoughtful girl holding chicks in a scarf. The faces of children in his works are characterized by seriousness and deep expression, focusing on the emotions and psyche of the child as seen through their own eyes. The work belongs to the lyrical realism trend, characterized by delicate light-shadow modeling and refined colors — pastels, pink, blue, and lily. A particular attention in the painting is drawn to the motif of a burning lantern, symbolizing spiritual light, the search for truth, and the fleetingness of the moment, held by a mysterious figure above the girl's right shoulder. The chicks symbolize new life and innocence. The painting enchants with poetic intimacy and symbolic charge and exemplifies Makowski's mature creativity.
Portrait of the Creator
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Artist
Tadeusz Makowski
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Date of birth and death
29 January 1882 – 1 November 1932
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Natinality
Polish
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Style
Cubism influenced by Polish folk art and naïve art
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Significant works
Paintings of children, carnivals, fairs, stylized landscapes, woodcut book illustrations
Information about the work
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Year:
ok. 1923-27
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Execution technique:
oil, panel
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Location:
private collection, Warsaw; private collection, Katowice (since 2013); private collection, Paris
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Theme:
child portrait, lyrical realism, symbolism, innocence, spirituality
Internal Narrative and Creative Framework
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Inner Narrative
The motif of the burning lantern as spiritual light and guide, the symbolism of new birth in the chicks, and the capturing of the fleeting moment create a deep metaphorical narrative
The key to interpreting the work
Interpret as a child's world seen through the eyes of a child, in the context of the Polish lyrical realism trend with elements of symbolism and folk paintingAuction information
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Estimated price:
450 000 - 550 000 zł
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Auction price:
390 000 zł
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