|
“Winter” — a poster by Koichi Sato from the “Disappearing Japan” series Mount Fuji is a major symbol of Japan and is placed even on banknotes. It is a holy mountain, the place where, according to beliefs, the protective gods of the country live. An expedition to its peak is like an entrance to a heavenly land bathed in golden light through a thick layer of clouds. |
Painting “Portrait of Teresa née Czartoryska Lubomirska” The pride of the palace in Slavuta was a small pastel portrait which presented a charming teenage girl. It depicts Teresa née Czartoryska, the daughter of Józef Klemens, the founder of the china manufacturing plant in Korets. The girl’s mother was duchess Dorota née Jabłonowska, who was famous for her beauty. The author of the portrait was one of the most outstanding French painters, Elisabeth Louise Vigee-Lebrun /1755–1842/. |
Painting “Self-portrait with wife” by Stanisław Wyspiański Wyspiański left twelve self-portraits. Every one of them is a fascinating record of the physical change and current emotional state of the artist according to his often-repeated belief stating that “man (...) changes irretrievably; they are changed by their experiences and thoughts. A portrait is a reflection of a moment, an artistic reflection seizing things in their very essence.” |
“A Comic Book. Manggha and Wyspiański” – digital graphic artwork by Jakub Woynarowski The idea of a comic strip about Feliks Jasieński, the Centre's patron, was the brainchild of Andrzej Wajda. The artwork was produced by Jakub Woynarowski in 2010, and it tells the story of a superhero – a Polish collector of Japanese art entangled in affairs of a social and health nature. Jakub Woynarowski keeps the story in perspective by using quite sophisticated, although simple looking means of expression – foreshortening, synthesis, as well as undertones. |
Karol Wojtyła master’s degree diploma in theology of Jagiellonian University Karol Wojtyła obtained his master’s degree in theology from the Jagiellonian University on 24 November 1948. The document contains information about studies completed between 1942 and 1947 and exams passed. Earlier, before joining the seminary, Wojtyła also studied Polish at the Jagiellonian University. |
Maturity certificate (secondary school leaving certificate) of Karol Wojtyła — copy This is a secondary school leaving certificate, issued in Wadowice, on 14 May 1938. It has been copied onto two black and white sheets. On the first page, there is a photo of Karol Wojtyła, with the round stamp of High School Certificate No. 38, signed by the Chairman and Members of the State Examination Commission. |
Sister Konstancja Studzińska’s master’s degree diploma Konstancja Studzińska (1787–1853) była pierwszą kobietą w Europie, która ukończyła studia i otrzymała dyplom magistra farmacji. Fakt ukończenia studiów farmaceutycznych przez kobietę w 1 poł. XIX wieku, w czasie, kiedy kobiety nie miały możliwości studiowania, można uznać za wyjątkowy. Konstancja Studzińska pracowała wówczas w prowadzonej przez siostry zakonne aptece szpitala św. Łazarza w Krakowie. Władze uniwersyteckie zarzucały zakonnym aptekarkom niekompetencję i dążyły do tego, by zarządzanie apteką przekazać odpowiednio przygotowanym do zawodu aptekarzom. |
“Rashomon” – a poster by Wojciech Fangor Rashomon is a poster by Wojciech Fangor and was created in tribute to the famous film of the same title. While this very film of 1950 brought the name of Akira Kurosawa to the top of the world cinematography, Wojciech Fangor's poster helped to popularise this work in Poland. |
“Judo saga” — a poster by Jerzy Flisak This poster by Jerzy Flisak is distinguished, above all, by its unusual display of two fighting figures depicted in the form of a white pictograph placed against a brown background. Naturally, the image brings to mind an association with the writing system used by the Japanese — kanji signs, and due to this connection, the poster is imbued with a deeper meaning. The author uses both a subtle pattern and a metaphor, and skilfully combines the images with a story. |
“The Portrait of Shunkin” – a poster by Jan Młodożeniec This poster created by Jan Młodożeniec stands out due to its interesting appearance which resembles the traditional Japanese woodcut ukiyo-e. |
“Kraków’s architecture. Photomontage: white plane of the Main Market Square” Photomontage: a white plane of the Main Market Square, the Adam Mickiewicz Monument, the Cloth Hall, outlines of the Wawel Castle and churches — all made of black paper columns with white letters overprinted. What draws our attention is the calendar page dated “March 8, International Women’s Day.” |
“Main Market Square, ceremony to celebrate Adam Mickiewicz monument re-erection” The photograph presents an important historical moment in the history of the main market square in Kraków, because it probably shows the reinstallation of the statue of Adam Mickiewicz in the Main Square on 26 November 1955. |
Woodcut “View of Kraków from the north” It is the oldest representation of Kraków and the cities of Kazimierz and Kleparz. It was made for the requirements of what was, at that time, the monumental historical and geographical atlas, Liber Cronicarum, by Hartmann Schedl. The view is in an intermediate form between a panorama and a plan, which means that the side elevations have been taken into account in the restoration of the city development, and, at the same time, the area is shown slightly from above. It presents a schematic image of the buildings, to some extent in accordance with the reality of Kraków from the end of the 15th century, that provides the impression of being an accurate reflection of its topography. It is not, however, accurate in its detail, and does not reproduce the actual location and appearance of the buildings. |
Painting “Helenka with a Vase” by Stanisław Wyspiański Portraits of children occupy a special place in Wyspiański’s artistic oeuvre. Without the unnecessary sentimentalism, treated in a natural, affectionate manner with a great dose of sensitivity and realism, and captured in new and unexpected depictions, they refreshed the usual connotations related to this genre. |
Packaging of a “Fryderyk Puls” soap The packaging of a soap by the brand Fryderyk Puls, in the form of an oval-shaped cardboard pouncet-box. The lid of the box is slightly convex, with the embossed inscriptions “SAVON DE TOILETTE / SOCANON / FREDERIC PULS / VARSOVIE”. |
Woodcut “Portrait of actor Kōraiya Kinshō” by Toshūsai Sharaku Toshūsai Sharaku is one of the most enigmatic Japanese artists. The woodcuts signed with his name come from the period between May 1794 and January 1795. A total of about 150 Sharaku card images depict actors from the Kabuki theatre; these are projects with a completely different new form of expression, often close to a caricature. |
“Stanisław Lem — Lifelike” — a drawing by Andrzej Wajda In the collection of the Manggha Museum, there are 242 portraits by Andrzej Wajda in the Familiar faces series. One of them is a drawing signed by the author — Stanisław Lem — Lifelike. Indeed, the author has captured the resemblance perfectly using hatching and many strong lines, as in the case of the many other drawings of the series sketched on notebook pages or graph paper. |
“Kiyomizu-dera, the Shrine of Clear Water” by Andrzej Wajda In Kyoto, the former imperial capital city, you can find Kiyomizu–dera (清水寺), a complex of Buddhist shrines whose name derives from the waterfall of the river flowing on the hillside of Mount Higashiyama. The main pavilion of the shrine is dedicated to Goddess Kannon (a bodhisattva personifying compassion), and it is one of the most popular tourist attractions, famous for its vantage point based on a six-storey structure. Crowds of visitors come to this place both in spring, when the cherry trees are in bloom, and in autumn, when the maple leaves turn red. |
Woodcut “Bright Weather after the Snow Storm in Kameyama” by Utagawa Hiroshige Utagawa Hiroshige occupied a special place in the collection by Feliks Jasieński: the collection gathered more than 2,000 woodcut boards by this artist. The abundantly represented landscape genre helps us appreciate Hiroshige as an artist who was considered to be the master of recreating the mood created by snow, rain and fog. |
Register of the flights of a lieutenant pilot Stefania Wojtulanis-Karpińska (“Barbara”) Stefania Wojtulanis-Karpińska “Barbara” was actively involved in all types of aviation sports, starting with her participation — as a navigator — in the National Balloon Competition in 1936. In 1938, she participated — also as a navigator — in the 8th National Air Competition; in May 1939, Stefania competed in the Ninth National Balloon Championships as a balloon pilot. |