Portrait of Józef Sułkowski on the Wall of Witkacy’s room in Zakopane

Abstract

In two photographs taken in Witkacy’s room in Zakopane about 1913 one can recognize a portrait of Józef Sułkowski pinned to the wall. It is a copy of the lithography made by Kazimierz Młodzianowski, Witkacy’s friend, to the dramatic play by Stefan Żeromski entitled  Sułkowski. Stanisław Witkiewicz read that book shortly after publication in May 1910, and wrote about it to his son with great respect. Młodzianowski made three lithographies to Żeromski’s drama, different for each edition. For the first one, which Witkiewicz read – a colorful Portrait of Józef Sułkowski according to effigies of that time, in a lithographic manner. For the second one, also as a colorful lithography – the image of Isis sitting on a throne, however without little Horus on her lap. In the third one, from 1914, Sułkowski’s portrait appeared, based on the picture by Antoni Brodowski. Młodzianowski’s drawing here remains faithful to the original, even recreating the craquelures on the painting’s surface – yet it is not a photomechanical copy, but an authorial interpretation.

            Sułkowski’s character, or rather the legend around it, perfectly fits the profile of Witkacy’s literary characters – an individual attempting to do great deeds, risking his life, self-fulfilling and burning out like a meteor at the moments of intense experiences. In the drama by Żeromski, especially in the dialogues of the final act, Witkacy was able to find many topics which would determine the scope of his thoughts, as well as their conflicts: the pessimistic vision of culture and its development, in which the sources of metaphysical feelings, mysteries of nature, religion and art, would yield to the faith in science. In the face of lack of mystery and in the feeling of insatiability, the only thing that shall remain is the desire for action and the gesture of self-destruction, which shall be experienced by tragic, sinister and grotesque characters created by Witkacy.