Vistula Landscape

Lowland river landscape, naturalistic in style, in all probability painted in an open-air setting. Central and right-hand side painting sections are filled with a tall escarpment falling gently towards the river, the slope affording a vast, horizon-reaching view of wide water and opposite bank, flat, covered in shrubbery and forest trees. The escarpment lush with thick dark green grass patched with an occasional overblown cluster of meadow flowers visible in the foreground, a small single birch nearby, remnants of browned leaves on its branches. Young pine stand visible near the top of the escarpment, flanked with an autumn-leaf covered tree; thicket of large, wide-spread trees in the background. A dirt road with distinct ruts in the grass runs along the foot of the escarpment. Beyond the road, a narrow strip of waterfront, with an irregular meandering line of the bank – flood terrace with sandy (greyish, dark yellow) patches. A small wooden shed stands near the water, a bunch of long wooden rods used to set up fishing nets leaning against one wall. Thick reed (dark green and dark blue) in the water, not far from the bank; the surface of the water and background (opposite bank, escarpment edge) cloaked in fog; slightly clouded sky above, lower layers pink, upper layers blue tinted with white. The landscape was painted with subtle brush strokes with immense care for detail in the central and right-hand side sections, gradually morphing into vibrant background contours; the work conveys the mood of an autumn day. Given the location of its authorship (Warsaw) and features of other landscapes painted by the artist during the period, it may be certainly concluded that this is a rendering of the River Vistula and its western escarpment, in all probability near the Bielany or Młociny areas.