Portrait of Waleria Morozowicz

It is a bust of an elder woman with short, wavy hair, wearing a dress decorated with a dainty collar. The mould is a plaster cast reinforced with a thick wooden batten. It is glazed with a patina of a light ashy color. Signature at the back of the bust says “Szczepkowski/Milanówek 1919r.”.

It is 49 cm tall, 45 cm wide and 28 cm deep.

Waleria Morozowicz from Kotowicz Family is the artist’s mother-in-law and wife of Rufin Morozowicz. The villa “Waleria” was named to commemorate the model. She was an actress just like her husband. She was gifted with the highest female vocals called coloratura soprano. After marrying Rufin she indulged in housekeeping and just “kept her husband’s side” as it was expected of women back then. When one of her children Jerzy had died from scarlet fever, she fell ill with eczema. Shortly following her recovery she took up an actual job. Despite his many ideas her husband didn’t have any luck in business. One of his start-ups which was winemaking caused him to fall into debt. Only Waleria’s enterprise and strong character helped them build their fortune accumulated in their property in Błoń and two houses in Milanówek with vast gardens. She convinced her husband to open a perfume company and a shop. Of course, she was the head of the whole project, though her husband was the one branding it, thanks to his chemist profession.