Inspirations Derived from Japanese Art in Jan Rubczak’s Early Prints

Katarzyna Kesling


Warszawa, Instytut Sztuki Polskiej Akademii Nauk (Poland)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7791-7832

Abstract

Early artistic activity of Jan Rubczak coincides with his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. Developing his skills at that time, the young artist focused particularly on prints. The etchings and aquatints he executed over the period display high quality of craftsmanship.  

Similarly as many European artists at the turn of the 20th century, Rubczak was also influenced by Japanese art. Fascination with the art of the Far East that encompassed, among others, painting, drawing, prints, but also literature, theatre, and fashion, was observed already from the second half of the 19th century. Beginning with the moment of Japan opening up to the world after the empire’s isolation, a number of publications dedicated to its history and culture were published, this greatly contributing to promoting the knowledge of the country.  Japanese art pieces reached the European market, and were promptly used to adorn interiors, but also as props by artists, e.g., painters. By the end of the 19th century, Japanese art had become known to a wider circle of the public, not just art connoisseurs and collectors, but also to the public of Paris, Vienna, or Munich. Information on Japanese art reached Poland first of all via France where many Polish artists flocked (among them Józef Pankiewicz who was Jan Rubczak’s teacher). An important role in promoting knowledge of Japan was also played by Pankiewicz’s friend Feliks Manghha Jasieński. His extraordinary collection including, among other things, Japanese woodlock prints, drawings, and everyday objects from the Far East, could be admired by those who showed interest. Jan Rubczak must have been among them. The new mode of structuring the composition, fragmentary framing, emphasis on the foreground, and asymmetry are just a few of the solutions which inspired the artist to create interesting works imbued with the atmosphere of Young Poland.

Supporting Agencies

Instytut Sztuki PAN

Keywords:

Jan Rubczak, prints at the turn of the 20th century, inspirations derived from Japanese Art, Józef Pankiewicz

Charazińska Elżbieta, „Pejzaż rodzimy”, [w:] Koniec wieku. Sztuka polskiego modernizmu 1890-1914, red. Elżbieta Charazińska, Łukasz Kossowski, [kat. wyst.], Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, Warszawa 1996.
  Google Scholar

Kluczewska-Wójcik Agnieszka, Japonia w kulturze i sztuce polskiej końca XIX i początków XX wieku, Warszawa-Toruń 2016.
  Google Scholar

Koniec wieku. Sztuka polskiego modernizmu 1890-1914, red. Elżbieta Charazińska, Łukasz Kossowski, [kat. wyst.], Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, Warszawa 1996.
  Google Scholar

Kossowska Irena, Narodziny polskiej grafiki artystycznej 1897-1917, Kraków 2000.
  Google Scholar

Kossowski Łukasz, „Inspiracje sztuką Japonii w polskim modernizmie”, [w:] Inspiracje sztuką Japonii w malarstwie i grafice polskich modernistów, oprac. Zofia Albertowa, Łukasz Kossowski [kat. wyst.], Muzeum Narodowe w Kielcach, Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie, Kielce-Kraków 1981.
  Google Scholar

Łukasz Kossowski, [we współpracy z Małgorzatą Martini], Wielka fala: inspiracje sztuką Japonii w polskim malarstwie i grafice, Toruń 2016.
  Google Scholar

Melbechowska-Luty Aleksandra, Nokturny. Widoki nocy w malarstwie polskim, Warszawa 1999.
  Google Scholar

Micke-Broniarek Ewa, „Wiosna”, [w:] Koniec wieku. Sztuka polskiego modernizmu 1890-1914, red. Elżbieta Charazińska, Łukasz Kossowski, [kat. wyst.], Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, Warszawa 1996.
  Google Scholar

Nowak Janusz S., „Kraków w spotkaniu z Japonią i jej kulturą na przełomie XIX i XX wieku. Udział prasy w recepcji sztuki i kultury japońskiej”, Rozprawy Muzeum Narodowego w Krakowie, 2010, t. 3.
  Google Scholar

Podraza-Kwiatkowska Maria, „Pustka-otchłań-pełnia. (Ze studiów nad młodopolską symboliką inercji i odrodzenia)”, [w:] Młodopolski świat wyobraźni. Studia i eseje, red. Maria Podraza-Kwiatkowska, Kraków 1977
  Google Scholar

Podróż do Edo. Japońskie drzeworyty ukiyo-e z kolekcji Jerzego Leskowicza, red. Anna K. Maleszko, [kat. wyst.], Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, Warszawa 2017.
  Google Scholar

Szczepińska Joanna, „Pankiewicz – modernista”, Rocznik Historii Sztuki, 1966, t. 6.
  Google Scholar


Published
2019-12-30

Cited by

Kesling, K. (2019). Inspirations Derived from Japanese Art in Jan Rubczak’s Early Prints. Biuletyn Historii Sztuki, 81(4), 627–646. https://doi.org/10.36744/bhs.632

Authors

Katarzyna Kesling 

Warszawa, Instytut Sztuki Polskiej Akademii Nauk Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7791-7832

Statistics

Abstract views: 307
PDF downloads: 412