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Bronislaw Linke in the Soviet Union (1939-1946). 'An attempt to whisper reality'

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Manicka A.

Biuletyn Historii Sztuki

2004

vol. 66

issue 1-2

195-210

Linke's stay in the Soviet Union has been overlooked by researchers until now largely because, apart from the propaganda contained within them, his works had become so widely scattered. Because of his difficult living conditions and constant moving from one place to another, the artist in principle was unable to create 'real' art. The whole of his creative work from this period may be divided into three parts: the Lvov period, being closed-circle in character, intended for his closest ones, and works carried out in connection with his employment as a painter of Rajkom, the local authority. Linke's wanderings, beginning with his leaving Warsaw on 3rd September 1939 in the company of his wife and parents-in-law, passed through Lvov and subsequently Dubov in the vicinity of Cheboksary. In 1941, the artist finally reached Orsk, on the border with Kazakhstan, where he remained until 1946. Linke's period in Lvov was one during he painted in a comparatively normal way, creating a cycle of nocturnal scenes depicting Warsaw in the first days of the war. The larger part of these pictures, including 'Pierwszy wrzesien' (1st September), 'Noc' (Night) and 'Skaleczony dom' (Wounded House), have not been preserved. They reveal the evolution of the artist's attitude to war, as well as his patriotic feelings - 'Lustro' (Mirror). The closed-circle drawings, most often in small format, were presumably intended for his wife. The entire group of these pictures comprise a form of diary recording a journey into the depths of Russia; they include little landscapes of the Urals, views of the little stations, local architecture, customs, etc. The remaining group of works consists of drawings carried out for local factors, and hence above all portraits of Soviet generals and heroes/heroines of the October Revolution, propaganda poster, information boards and so on. The appearance of the drawings he made for 'Poland', which were sent to the Polish Consulate in Kuibyshev, remains a complete mystery. During his stay at Orsk, Linke categorically refused 'collaboration' with the representative of Wanda Wasilewska, for which he was threatened with the possibility of having to remain in the Soviet Union. Maria Dabrowska struggled for the Linke couple's return to Poland, and it is to her that the drawing titled 'Powrót' (Return), opening the well-known cycle titled 'Kamienie krzycza' (The Stones are Shouting) was dedicated. 11 Illustrations.

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Bronislaw Linke in the Soviet Union (1939-1946). 'An attempt to whisper reality'