Even 133 years ago, “Summer Evening” hung in Warsaw’s Zachęta, and then unexpectedly disappeared without a trace. Historians wondered, thinking that one of the first paintings by Józef Chełmoński probably did not survive the war or the turbulent period of the People’s Republic of Poland. Now it turned out that all this time the work was in the possession of a private family.
For the owners, it was a family heirloom. Art experts consider this painting to be a real gem
Perhaps “Summer Evening” would still be considered lost if the current owners had not decided to sell it. In order to restore the canvas, which has witnessed many family vicissitudes for over 13 decades, and to assess its value, they turned to the best professionals. When the experts confirmed its authenticity, pointing to Józef Chełmoński as the author, they were shocked. However, it is not known how the painting came into the possession of private individuals, and for the family to which it belongs, it was simply a souvenir. – We were aware that it was a very old painting, the information was circulating around the family for years that it was Chełmoński’s work, but at that time no one cared about it. Nobody thought that the painting could be valuable, it was just a family heirloom — the owner quoted by Onet. Experts believe that the extraordinary work from the beginning of Chełmoński’s career is worth even several million zlotys. In June 2023, an auction will be held at which “Summer Evening” will look for a new owner.
There is a sketch by another artist in Chełmoński’s painting. This is an extraordinary work, different from all the painter’s oeuvre
The creation of “Summer Evening” dates back to the beginning of 1875. It was a difficult period in the life of Józef Chełmoński, as the work did not bring sufficient income and he could barely make ends meet. He lived in a small room in the attic of the Hotel Europejski in Warsaw, and worked in a modest studio shared with Stanisław Witkiewicz, Adam Chmielowski and Antoni Piotrowski. It was on the sketch of the last of them that his work was created, which was confirmed by the X-ray examination. Chełmoński often painted over the works of his colleagues, because he could not afford to buy new materials.
“Summer Evening” is a unique painting not only because it was created just before the painter left for Paris, which made him gain respect and recognition in the environment. Most of Chełmoński’s works depict an open space, and this is the interior of the hall. According to art experts, the woman who is the heroine of the painting is probably the artist’s cousin who lived in what is now Ukraine. He allegedly paid a visit to the woman, and after returning to the capital, he recreated the scene that stuck in his memory.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
