Vistula River under Wawel Hill

Stanisław Ignacy Fabijański initially studied with his father, Erazm, whose continuator he is sometimes called. He completed his artistic education in Lviv under the supervision of sculptor Leonard Marconi. Between 1883 and 1888, he attended Kraków's School of Fine Arts, where he studied under Władysław Łuszczkiewicz, Florian Cynk, Leopold Löffler and Jan Matejko, among others. In 1888, he studied under Sándor (Alexander von) Wagner in Munich at the Academy of Fine Arts. He travelled to Italy and France, and after returning to Poland, he lived in Kraków. Fabijański, like his father, often depicted views and architecture of Krakow in his paintings. The city with its historic buildings was the most frequent painting motif, although there is no lack of landscapes in the artist's output. Fabijański tried to find a way to combine his favourite themes, which was reflected, for example, in the views from the banks of the Vistula towards Wawel, the Norbertine convent or Kościuszko Mound. They were usually painted in the light characteristic of sunrises and sunsets in autumn, winter or early spring. Wisła pod Wawelem [The Vistula below Wawel] was acquired for the collection of the National Museum in Szczecin in 1972. Wawel is depicted in a winter aura. Using a muted palette of colours, greys, beige, broken white, streaks of blue and pink, the artist showed a view of a meander of water covered with fog. Also characteristic is the line used to depict the river, which can be described as flowing; this way of painting brings to mind Art Nouveau stylistics. In the background, there are buildings, with the outline of Wawel in the foreground.

Beata Małgorzata Wolska