The Czarny Staw Tarn – Blizzard

In accordance with the principles of realism, the aim of Stanisław Witkiewicz’s landscapes was to show mountains in an objective, accurate and unpretentious way. The artist wanted nature to be fully autonomous in his works. This approach is exemplified by a winter landscape of the Czarny Staw Lake in the Tatra Mountains during a blizzard called “kurniawa” in the Polish local dialect. The choice of such a view was probably inspired by Japanese art. Rocky slopes of the mountains contrast with the rough surface of the water. The illusion of a dynamic movement is enhanced by a snowy “dance” veiling the background peaks in a milky cloud. Almost irrational moonlight creates strong contrasts of light and shade. A very narrow palette has been restricted to warm browns, black, grey and white. The artist made use of photographs in painting this work, which resulted in hard, hyperrealistic modelling; however, the painterly description of this atmospheric phenomenon was probably produced based on meticulous plein-air studies. The uncontrollable element of the blizzard raging in the Tatras creates – perhaps even against the intention of the artist – an unsettling and at the same time fascinating romantic atmosphere.