Lwów (Lviv), 20th century

About the work:
This etching shows a quiet, narrow street that guides the viewer’s eye toward the rising tower of the Dormition Church in Lviv, Ukraine, creating a strong sense of depth and focus. The buildings on either side feel slightly irregular and enclosing, emphasizing the age and character of the setting, while the tower stands out with its delicate upper tiers. The artist uses fine lines and soft shading to create texture and shadow rather than precise detail, giving the scene an atmospheric, almost nostalgic quality. The architecture also subtly reflects Lviv’s layered past, shaped by periods of upheaval, including Mongol incursions, and later cultural shifts under Polish rule that introduced Western and Catholic influences. These cultural influences resulted in a built environment where different styles and traditions coexist within a single streetscape.

About the artist:
Józef Pieniążek (1888-1953) – painter and graphic artist, graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow; in his work, he focused on documenting monuments and elements of folk material culture. Student of Leon Wyczółkowski, associated with his master throughout his life, did not follow fads in the art, he also never became – because he did not try too much – fashionable. However, for conservators of monuments, ethnographers, and cultural landscape researchers, his work is important. He left many good graphics (part of them compiled in portfolios), a large number of drawings and watercolours. In late 1920s and early 1930s, he became interested, inspired by Wyczółkowski, in folk culture. He began to perpetuate the relics of the old dress, the monuments of traditional art and architecture, often shown against the background of a clear landscape. With academic preciseness, he tried to sublimate the most valuable objects from the resource of folk architecture common in his times. During his sightseeing trips, he put a lot of effort into documenting regional costumes, disappearing professions, portraying people. In 1937 in Lviv, he published a portfolio of 40 colourful compositions featuring costumes and types of highlanders, architectural monuments, folk and sacral art and culture from the regions of Podhale, Orava, Spisz, Żywiec, Pieniny, Sądecczyzna. In 1925-1938 he participated in artistic life, took part in numerous exhibitions, salons and shows. He was an active member of the Polish Graphic Artists Association and other organisations.

Bio written by Roman Marcinek, historian for the National Heritage Board of Poland

Read more: https://ochronazabytkow.nid.pl/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/OZ_1-2018_07_Marcinek.pdf