Władysław Ślewiński. From Pont Aven to Kazimierz.

The 100th anniversary of the first open air painting session in Kazimierz Dolny.

The Vistula Museum in Kazimierz Dolny
Celejowska Tenement House,
11/13, Senatorska Str.

Władysław Ślewiński (1852-1918) is one of the most important figures of Polish art. For the first time his works will be exhibited in Kazimierz. But his contribution to the shaping of the art society in Kazimierz is as important as his paintings. He had come to work in Kazimierz since 1907 and here he organized the first open air painting session in 1909, a hundred years ago. The session was prepared for the private art school students from Warsaw and was meant to compensate for the failures and disappointments he experienced after coming back to Poland from France in 1905.

He trained with Paul Gauguin- his master and friend, who created art societies in Pont Aven and La Pouldu and shaped Ślewiński as a painter and as a man. Ślewiński wanted to continue his work in Poland and chose Kazimierz for its landscape and architectural values, for characteristic exoticism and for the long and lively art tradition of this place. The open air session lasted from June to September and became the foundation act of Kazimierz art society.

This exhibition is a reminder of that event, and thanks to the 35 paintings shown here (some of which presenting Kazimierz, and made in all painting techniques used by Ślewiński), we can also remind the painter You can learn more about Ślewiński as the artist and a man from the exhibition catalogue.

Waldemar Odorowski