DOI Heft:
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DOI Artikel:Poprzęcka, Maria: "And I still see their faces": on Jan Matejko's Physiognomies
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18938#0103
3. Jan Matejko, Rejtan, 1866, detail: Szczęsny Potocki (left), Warsaw, Royal Castle
to Jurgis Baltrusaitis: „L'«Animalomanie» du siecle n'cst pas une modę passagere d'un genre
satirique. Elle est une obsession qui correspond a une pensee et a un sentiment de la naturę
et de la vie"14. Painting including a storia, carrying into effect the principle ut pictura poesis,
was more concerned witli anothsr physiognomic problem, namely, the interrelation between
the permanent traits of ph)rsiognomies, such as the bone structure, the shape of the eyes, mouth
and nose on the one hand, and the transient, evasive ąualitics, dictated by inner experience,
on the other. Painting cannot relate the expcriencc of its heroes otherwise than through their
gestures and facial expressions. These cannot be studied from a model. A model can remain
in the attitude reąuired, but his/her face cannot be forced to congeal in the expression requi-
red — Vasari describes all the exertions behind La Gioconda's smile15. Rembrandt's biographer
11. Btiltrusaitis, op. cii., p, 28
15. C. Vasari, "Lionardo da Vinci pittorc c scultorc fiorentino'in: Le vite de piii eccelenti pittori scultori ed architełtori, aftcr
G. Milanesi, Le opcrc di Giorgio Vasari eon nuove annotasioni e commenti, Florence, 1973, IV, p. 40.
89
to Jurgis Baltrusaitis: „L'«Animalomanie» du siecle n'cst pas une modę passagere d'un genre
satirique. Elle est une obsession qui correspond a une pensee et a un sentiment de la naturę
et de la vie"14. Painting including a storia, carrying into effect the principle ut pictura poesis,
was more concerned witli anothsr physiognomic problem, namely, the interrelation between
the permanent traits of ph)rsiognomies, such as the bone structure, the shape of the eyes, mouth
and nose on the one hand, and the transient, evasive ąualitics, dictated by inner experience,
on the other. Painting cannot relate the expcriencc of its heroes otherwise than through their
gestures and facial expressions. These cannot be studied from a model. A model can remain
in the attitude reąuired, but his/her face cannot be forced to congeal in the expression requi-
red — Vasari describes all the exertions behind La Gioconda's smile15. Rembrandt's biographer
11. Btiltrusaitis, op. cii., p, 28
15. C. Vasari, "Lionardo da Vinci pittorc c scultorc fiorentino'in: Le vite de piii eccelenti pittori scultori ed architełtori, aftcr
G. Milanesi, Le opcrc di Giorgio Vasari eon nuove annotasioni e commenti, Florence, 1973, IV, p. 40.
89