Malinowski, Jerzy [Editor]; Siemiradzki, Henryk [Honoree]: Co znajduje się w obrazach Henryka Siemiradzkiego? (Sztuka Europy Wschodniej / The Art of Eastern Europe, Warszawa: Polski Instytut Studiów nad Sztuką Świata, 2017)

Tkaniny i ubiory w obrazach Henryka Siemiradzkiego

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Beata Biedrońska-Słotowa
Textiles and clothes in paintings by Henryk Siemiradzki

Henryk Siemiradzki used to fili the compositions of his paintings with spectacular textiles. The analysis
of selected examples has shown that he treated them quite superficially, without paying much attention
to their structure, details of colour or the tectonics of their design. As a result, it is difficult to determine
the origin and age of the textiles present in his paintings. It seems likely that he often used objects created
for the purpose of a given composition in his imagination rather than real pieces reproduced. The same
textiles happen to appear once as decorative elements of dresses and again as interior decorations.
Two groups of dresses can be distinguished. One comprises dresses contemporary to the artist, shown
in realistic paintings, and dresses from other modern epochs, reproduced equally carefully and accurately
and representing the time and place of the event shown. The other group includes clothes on people from
Biblical times, ancient Greece, Romę and Egypt.