Portrait of a Woman (Gypsy)

We continue our celebration of Women's History Month with a Polish artist Olga Boznańska—today thanks to the National Museum in Krakow. :)

The painting dates from the early period of Olga Boznańska’s work, from the times when she was studying painting in Munich with Wilhelm Dürr, while visiting Kraków only sporadically. It was at this time that the artist abandoned the dark colors typical for the Munich school and lightened her palette, displaying a masterful sense of color. The painter concentrates on the face of the model, her gaze, and giving up unessential props. The character of the woman portrayed is expressed in her confident, flirtatious, and even predatory stare. This work is also one of the more daring compositions by Boznańska in terms of contemporary mores, and is one of few attempts at presenting a partially nude model.

P.S. In this museum you can find one of the most renowned paintings in the world—the Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci. Here you can read about women in the paintings of the Italian master.