Olga Boznańska - Portrait of Mrs Horain 1908
Olga Boznańska - Portrait of Mrs Horain 1908
Title: Portrait of Mrs. Horain
Author: Olga Boznańska
Date: 1908
Type: Painting
Medium: Oil on cardboard
Dimensions: height: 96 cm, width: 69 cm; with frame: height: 115 cm, width: 88 cm, depth: 7 cm
The vertically oriented painting depicts a seated woman, shown from head to knees. The composition is dominated by cool, subdued shades of green, blue, and gray. Light falls from above, from the left, soft and diffused. The portrait is not rendered with photographic precision but shaped freely, with blurred, indistinct contours.
The woman sits facing forward, her body and head slightly inclined to the left. With her right hand, she touches her ear while also holding the necklace at her throat. Her hair is dark, nearly black, styled in a high, voluminous updo—slightly unruly, yet elegant. It contrasts with her fair skin, drawing attention to her face. Her oval face is gently flushed at the cheeks and nose. Her eyebrows are thin and sharply arched, her eyes dark and slightly narrowed, their concentrated gaze fixed directly on the viewer. Her small, delicate nose and full, closed lips—unsmiling—enhance the sense of seriousness. Long, slender earrings, barely distinguishable from the background, adorn her ears. Her neck, prominently displayed, is decorated with a double strand of gold beads, which she lifts toward her face with her right hand.
She wears an elegant gown with a square neckline. Its full length is cropped by the frame, but the visible part reveals a richly decorated garment, notable for its layered textures and interplay of color. It is painted in tones of blue, green, brown, and gray. A vertical band runs down the center, brown with a wavering blue pattern, echoed in the sleeves. The sleeves reach to the elbows, slightly puffed. The sides and edges of the dress are lighter, more delicate in tone. A thin belt cinches the waist, centered with a decorative stone. On her wrists, she wears slender gold bracelets, and on the ring finger of her left hand rests a gold band. Her left arm lies relaxed across her lap.
The armchair in which she sits is dark, nearly black, only lightly outlined, at times blending into both the background and her gown. The backdrop itself is kept in cool green and blue hues, decorated with loosely brushed roses. It merges with the contours of the figure, creating an atmospheric softness.
The brushwork is free and fluid, with colors blending across the surface to produce a shimmering effect. Large, dark planes—the mass of her hair and the chair—do not overwhelm the viewer, but instead direct the eye to her own dark eyes, emphasized against the brightness of her face. Her expression is concentrated, yet carries a certain austerity and distant air, as though both present and absent at once.
Audio description prepared by Emilia Szymańska
Consultation: Adrian Wyka
Substantive Consultation: Urszula Kozakowska - Zaucha
Author: Olga Boznańska
Date: 1908
Type: Painting
Medium: Oil on cardboard
Dimensions: height: 96 cm, width: 69 cm; with frame: height: 115 cm, width: 88 cm, depth: 7 cm
The vertically oriented painting depicts a seated woman, shown from head to knees. The composition is dominated by cool, subdued shades of green, blue, and gray. Light falls from above, from the left, soft and diffused. The portrait is not rendered with photographic precision but shaped freely, with blurred, indistinct contours.
The woman sits facing forward, her body and head slightly inclined to the left. With her right hand, she touches her ear while also holding the necklace at her throat. Her hair is dark, nearly black, styled in a high, voluminous updo—slightly unruly, yet elegant. It contrasts with her fair skin, drawing attention to her face. Her oval face is gently flushed at the cheeks and nose. Her eyebrows are thin and sharply arched, her eyes dark and slightly narrowed, their concentrated gaze fixed directly on the viewer. Her small, delicate nose and full, closed lips—unsmiling—enhance the sense of seriousness. Long, slender earrings, barely distinguishable from the background, adorn her ears. Her neck, prominently displayed, is decorated with a double strand of gold beads, which she lifts toward her face with her right hand.
She wears an elegant gown with a square neckline. Its full length is cropped by the frame, but the visible part reveals a richly decorated garment, notable for its layered textures and interplay of color. It is painted in tones of blue, green, brown, and gray. A vertical band runs down the center, brown with a wavering blue pattern, echoed in the sleeves. The sleeves reach to the elbows, slightly puffed. The sides and edges of the dress are lighter, more delicate in tone. A thin belt cinches the waist, centered with a decorative stone. On her wrists, she wears slender gold bracelets, and on the ring finger of her left hand rests a gold band. Her left arm lies relaxed across her lap.
The armchair in which she sits is dark, nearly black, only lightly outlined, at times blending into both the background and her gown. The backdrop itself is kept in cool green and blue hues, decorated with loosely brushed roses. It merges with the contours of the figure, creating an atmospheric softness.
The brushwork is free and fluid, with colors blending across the surface to produce a shimmering effect. Large, dark planes—the mass of her hair and the chair—do not overwhelm the viewer, but instead direct the eye to her own dark eyes, emphasized against the brightness of her face. Her expression is concentrated, yet carries a certain austerity and distant air, as though both present and absent at once.
Audio description prepared by Emilia Szymańska
Consultation: Adrian Wyka
Substantive Consultation: Urszula Kozakowska - Zaucha