The painting depicts a garden in the high summer - full of light, colourful flowers and pastel colours. In its central part we can see two children - an older boy with a watering can in his hand and a younger boy. They are both sons of Mi艂osz Kotarbi艅ski. The six-year-old boy is Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski and the two-year-old one is his brother - Mieczys艂aw. The artist immortalized both of them outdoors.
Could Podkowi艅ski then have assumed that he was simultaneously portraying two children who will become important figures in the world of science and culture in their adult life? Certainly not.
Let's start from the beginning.
Tadeusz Marian Kotarbi艅ski was associated with Warsaw where he was born on 31 March 1886. Young Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski grew up in an artistic environment. His father, Mi艂osz Kotarbi艅ski was a painter, while his mother Ewa Koskowska (Kotarbi艅ska) - was a pianist, though she also ran a guest house for some time.
Tadeusz's father, Mi艂osz Kotarbi艅ski was a versatile artist. Apart from painting he also dealt with literary criticism, wrote poetry, sang and composed. Tadeusz's mother, Ewa Kotarbi艅ska, nee Kostkowski, came from a landowning family. She was the daughter of an owner of a property in Chrz臋sne (Wo艂omin county). After getting married Ewa and Mi艂osz moved to Warsaw where their first son, Tadeusz was born. The Kotarbi艅ski family willingly spent summer months in the Koskowski property in Chrz臋sne.
As Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski's father was a friend of W艂adys艂aw Podkowi艅ski, the latter used to visit Chrz臋sne and its vicinity, where, as it is believed, the artist's most beautiful impressionist paintings were created. It was there that the 6-year-old Tadeusz and his brother, a 2-year-old Mieczys艂aw were caught playing in the garden (1892) by Podkowi艅ski.
W艂adys艂aw Podkowi艅ski used to observe and paint fragments of Masovian landscapes, later recognized as masterpieces of Polish art, over the years 1891 and 1892. "Children in the garden" is one of such paintings. The artist was already then familiar with the principles of impressionism, which he had come across before in the works of Claude Monet, Paris.
The researchers of Podkowi艅ski's art believe that it was during the holidays spent in the Mazovian towns of Mokra Wie艣 and Chrz臋sne that "the full assimilation of Parisian experiences, a synthesis of the principles of impressionist painting and observations of the native landscape" took place (among others Ewa Kossowska).
- In this painting the painter used his favourite cropping procedure in a close plan of the nature he was observing. Built diagonally, the painting was based on the contrast of green and yellow colours range, complemented with a grey-violet blue. He also managed to achieve the effect of a lyrical mood, created by skilfully distributed light - El偶bieta Charazi艅ska, researcher of the artist's work.
It is said that Podkowi艅ski, who was known for his great temperament, was unhappily in love with beautiful Ewa Kotarbi艅ska, a wife of his friend Mi艂osz. This allegedly led to misunderstandings between them and made Podkowi艅ski leave Chrz臋sne.
The painting "Children in the garden" (dimensions 47 x 68 cm) is part of a collection of the National Museum in Warsaw. More information on the influence of French impressionists on the work of W艂adys艂aw Podkowi艅ski as well as on the painting itself can be learnt from .
Kotarbi艅scy siblings
Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski, the oldest son of Zofia and Mi艂osz, had five younger siblings. In order of birth: Mieczys艂aw, Janusz, Zofia, who died in early childhood, Kazimierz and Stanis艂aw.
It's worth underlining that also two younger brothers of Teadusz were painters - Mieczys艂aw and Janusz. Mieczys艂aw Kotarbi艅ski (immortalised by Podkowi艅ski) was a professor of the Vilnius University, and later of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.
As a graphic, painter and metalworker, he designed badges of state orders (including the Order of the White Eagle and the Order of Polonia Restituta) and the Marshal's mace of J贸zef Pi艂sudski. Mieczys艂aw Kotarbi艅ski was murdered by the Germans during World War II. The younger, Janusz (who also died during World War II) was fascinated by the art of Podhale. He is, among others, the author of the polychrome and stained glass in the Holy Family Church in Krupowki Street in Zakopane.
Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski
The professor was a Polish philosopher, logician and ethicist. He was a representative of the Lvov-Warsaw School of philosophy, after World War II Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski moved to Lodz, where he became one of the founders of the 91滴滴 and its first rector. One of the most famous works of Kotarbi艅ski is the "Traktat o dobrej robocie" [A Treatise on Good Work] devoted to praxeology, i.e., the theory of efficient operation.
Prof. Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski is the patron of the Award established in 2015 by the 91滴滴 for the best work in the field of humanities in Poland. Last week, the call for entries was launched. Books in the field of broadly understood humanities can be submitted until May 15 this year.
Edit: Promotion Centre, UL
Source: R. Kleszcz, "Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski. Sylwetka my艣liciela." - wst臋p do "Traktatu o dobrej robocie" [Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski. Silhouette of the thinker." - an introduction to the "Treatise on Good Work", Lodz University Press 2019 r.,