Caption

Study for the painting Our Battle Painters, Czeslaw Tanski 1862–1942. Pastel, before 1927, 76 × 180 cm. Pastel depicts Polish battle painters, including Aleksander Orlowski, January Suchodolski, Piotr Michalowski, Juliusz Kossak, Józef Brandt, Maksymilian Gierymski, Józef Chelmonski, Alfred Wierusz Kowalski, Wojciech Kossak, and Czeslaw Tanski himself — a painter and designer of flying vehicles and a pioneer of Polish aviation. The artist depicts painters of battle scenes from various generations, dressed in costumes characteristic of the heroes of their paintings: Orlowski in the costume of an Eastern horseman; Gierymski in a Rococo hunting-style costume; Brandt in attire evoking a Cossack of the Ukrainian steppes; Suchodolski and Michalowski in Napoleonic-era uniforms. Tanski portrays himself on the left side of the composition, as if observing the cavalcade, separated from the riders by the silhouette of a horse. Subjects: painters, group portrait, equestrian figures, horses, banners, uniforms; style: pastel study; inscriptions/notes: study for Our Battle Painters., A wide framed painting shows a group of mounted figures and horses moving across a muted landscape. The scene has a soft, smoky atmosphere with colors including shades of brown, gray, black, white, beige, blue, red, green, and gold. Several riders wear differing garments and headgear, with capes, coats, and uniforms in darker blues, reds, and browns; one rider holds a long pole with a small fluttering flag in pale colors. A few horses are light-colored, some are dark or black, and one horse is gray; bridles and saddles are visible. At the left edge a cart or carriage is attached to horses, with figures near it wearing darker coats and hats. The background contains a hazy mass of additional riders and indistinct forms that blend into the overcast sky, all bordered by a wide golden frame.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A32_403

License type

Rights managed

Available size

36.2Mb (2.4Mb) / 17.9in x 7.8in / 5374 x 2352 (300dpi)

Keywords

Study painting Our Battle Painters Czeslaw Tanski 1862–1942 Pastel 1927 depicts Polish battle painters Aleksander Orlowski January Suchodolski Piotr Michalowski Juliusz Kossak Józef Brandt Maksymilian Gierymski Józef Chelmonski Alfred Wierusz Kowalski Wojciech Kossak Czeslaw Tanski painter designer flying vehicles pioneer Polish aviation artist painters battle scenes various generations dressed costumes characteristic heroes paintings Orlowski costume Eastern horseman Gierymski Rococo hunting-style costume Brandt attire evoking Cossack Ukrainian steppes Suchodolski Michalowski Napoleonic-era uniforms Tanski portrays left side composition observing cavalcade separated riders silhouette horse Subjects group portrait equestrian figures horses banners uniforms style pastel study inscriptions notes study Our Battle Painters wide framed painting group mounted figures moving across muted landscape scene soft smoky atmosphere colors shades brown gray black white beige blue red green gold Several riders wear differing garments headgear capes coats darker blues reds browns rider holds long pole small fluttering flag pale colors light-colored dark bridles saddles visible left edge cart carriage attached figures near wearing darker coats hats background contains hazy mass additional riders indistinct forms blend overcast sky bordered wide golden frame.