Tematyka religijna w malarstwie Pruszkowiaków, czyli artystów z kręgu Tadeusza Pruszkowskiego. Tradycja i nowoczesność
Religious themes in the paintings of the Pruszkowiaks, or artists from the circle of Tadeusz Pruszkowski. Tradition and modernity

Summary/Abstract: In the stylistically diverse Polish painting of the interwar period, classicism was a significant trend. Professor Tadeusz Pruszkowski held a central position in the Warsaw art milieu, with the emerging group of young artists gravitating towards him known as the Pruszkowiaks. They produced art inspired by old masters, with religious themes being particularly prominent. Among Pruszkowski's alumni, both strictly ecclesiastical cult paintings and decorative works using sacred motifs can be found today. This division positions the artists’ activity within the broader debate on religious art that occurred between the two World Wars. Their works are also an essential aspect of cultural and national identity, promoted by state mechanisms during the Second Republic. The paintings produced by Tadeusz Pruszkowski’s students blend tradition and modernity. The young artists frequently modified centuries-old patterns and invented new iconography, resulting in striking combinations of the past and present. Despite being relatively unexplored, the artistic activity of the Pruszkowiaks is the focus of this article, which features the key artists brought together in various associations founded by Tadeusz Pruszkowski, as well as their works. The piece attempts a comprehensive description of the largest number of religiously themed works known today and the relationship between tradition and modernity in them. It also highlights the significant position held by the compositions of the Pruszkowiaks in Polish religious art, which, until now, has been either marginalised or under-analysed.

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