The Statue of Prince Józef Poniatowski

Did you know what DailyArt is made in Warsaw, Poland? Thanks to the Museum of Warsaw we want to show you the city in ... an old photograph!  : )

Zofia Chomętowska created this photo of the statue of Prince Józef Poniatowski. She became interested in photography as a young girl and began taking photos of her everyday life at her family’s estate in Polesie. In the mid-1930s, when she moved to Warsaw, the city itself became the most important theme of her photography.

Photography of Warsaw was her passion and her profession. In 1938 she was commissioned by the Mayor of Warsaw, Stefan Starzyński, as part of the exhibition "Warsaw Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow." Her favorite work tool was a light and handy Leica. This 35mm camera was created for amateurs; it was easy to use and enabled taking photos discreetly or to take a series of shots, one after another. These kinds of shots, not always technically perfect, but closer to reality and often taken spontaneously, were a trademark of Chomętowska’s work.

With her Leica, on 24 x 36mm photographic film, Chomętowska made a series of nocturnes (photographing neon lights, among other subjects). She also arranged the night view of the Prince Poniatowski monument. The bronze statue made by Bertel Thorvaldsen was a pre-war symbol of Warsaw and its difficult history. The return of the monument, which had been taken away and "imprisoned" for 80 years by the Russians, became an important event for the capital’s residents. During the occupation of Warsaw, this photo was published by Germans as a postcard.

P.S. Here you can read more on 5 Swedish pioneering female photographers!