‘Through a Microscope from a Telescopic Distance’: Witkacy, Cameron and the Photography of Faces

• Authors: Fedorowicz-Jackowska, Aleksandra

Abstracts

EN

Witkacy was a central figure of the Polish art scene in the first half of the twentieth century. A painter, writer, philosopher, art theorist, and playwright, he also imaginatively played with the photographic medium. This article will show that the most significant part of his photographic practice, carried on since his youth, was centered on faces. Debating the prevailing view that tends to see Witkacy as a lone visionary, I will argue that Julia Margaret Cameron’s photographic portraits inspired the artist’s style and approach to the genre of photographic portraiture.

Keywords

EN

Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (1885–1939); Witkacy (1885–1939); Julia Margaret Cameron (1815–1879); portrait photography; close-up; Polish photography; modernity

• Publisher: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
• Journal: Ikonotheka
• Year: 2020
• Volume: 30
• Pages: 31-49

Dates

published

2021-05-27

Contributors

author

Fedorowicz-Jackowska, Aleksandra

Identifiers

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31338/2657-6015ik.30.2