VII. The Works Known from Reproductions

VII.1

Design for a Railway Station in Gdynia. Suprematism,

1923 (ill. p. 27.)

Bristol board, measurements unknown

Repr.: W. Strzeminski, K Kobro, Kompozycja przestrzeni..., Lodz [1931], ill. p. 24

Exh.: ' Wilno 1923 (cat no. 44)

Note: The Muzeum Sztuki in Lodz is in possession of a reconstruction of this sculpture, made in 1978 after the design by Janusz Zagrodzki (wood, white emulsion paint, 60 x 60 x 65). It was presented for the first time in the film Constructivism made by Ryszard Wasko and Janusz Zagrodzki. The reconstruction was then shown at various exhibitions in Poland and abroad. Other reconstructions can be found in the Muzeum Narodowe in Warsaw and in private collections.

VII.2

Synthetic Composition,

1923

(ill. p. 27.) (Unistic composition) oil, canvas?, measurements unknown signed bottom right?

Repr.: BLOK, 1924 no. 1 , ill. p. 2

Bibl.: A.Turowski, Konstruktywizm polski..., Wroclaw 1981 , p. 48 note 74, ill. 38

Exh.: Wilno 1923 (cat. no. 42-43?)

VII.3

Still life with a jug,

1923

(ill. p. 31 ) oil, canvas?, measurements unknown signed bottom right?

Repr.: BLOK. KURJER BLOKU, 1924 no.5, ill.p.

Bibl.: A.Turowski, Konstruktywizm polski..., Wroclaw 1981 , p. 48 note 74, ill. 63

Exh.: Wilno 1923 (cat. no. 37?)

VII.4

Postsuprematist Composition,

1923

(Unistic Composition) oil, canvas?, c. 66 x 68? not signed

Repr.: BLOK. KURJER BLOKU, 1924 no. 8-9, ill. p. 4

Bibl.: A.Turowski, Konstruktywizm polski..., Wroclaw 1981 , ill. p. 189

Note: Of the four postsuprematist compositions illustrated in 1924 in the double issue of BLOK, only one has been preserved (cat.1.7). The dating of the other three compositions and the identification of their technique has been based on this preserved picture; the relation between its actual size and its illustration has been used to calculate the measurements of the lost pictures (cf. cat.VII.5-6).

VII.5

Postsuprematist Composition,

1923

(Unistic Composition)

oil, canvas?, c. 75 x 50? not signed

Repr.: BLOK. KURJER BLOKU, 1924 no. 8-9, ill. p. 4

Bibl.: A. Turowski, Konstruktywizm polski..., Wroclaw 1981, ill- p- 187

VII.6

Postsuprematist Composition,

1923

(Unistic Composition)

oil, canvas?, c. 83 x 68? not signed

Repr.: BLOK. KURJER BLOKU, 1924 no. 8-9, ill. p. 4

Bibl.: A.Turowski, Konstruktywizm polski..., Wroclaw 1981 , ill. p. 186

VII.7

Poet Training a Dog,

[1926]

crayon, tempera, paper?, measurements unknown signed bottom right?

Repr.: ZWROTNICA, 1926 no. 9, ill. p. 221

VII.8

Composition,

[1926]

oil, glass?, measurements unknown not signed?

Repr.:: W.Strzeminski, Notatki, ZWROTNICA, 1927 no. 11 , ill. p. 243 (graphic version).

Exh.: Warszawa 1926 (cat. no. 35-37?)?

Note: A comparative analysis of this and the two following pictures and the Abstract Composition by Katarzyna Kobro painted on glass suggests that these works were executed in the same technique. W.Strzeminski showed his paintings on glass at the Ist Exhibition of the Praesens group in Warsaw in autumn of 1926. Two compositions, including the present one, illustrated Strzeminski's, Notatki published in 1927 in ZWROTNICA no.11 , devoted to the question of rhythm constructed "according to equal expression in numbers".

VII.9

Composition,

[1926]

oil, glass?, measurements unknown not signed? Repr. : W.Strzeminski, Notatki, ZWROTNICA, 1927 no. 11 , ill. p. 243 (graphic version).

Exh.: Warszawa 1926 (cat.no.35-37?)?

VII.10

Composition,

[1926]

Oil, glass?, measurements unknown not signed?

Repr.: ZWROTNICA, 1927 no. 11 , ill. p. 244 (graphic version); FORMA, 1936 no. 4, ill. p. 18 (graphic version).

Exh.: Warszawa 1926 (cat. no. 35-37?)?

VII.11

Architectural Composition,

[1926] (ill. p. 28)

(Composition) oil, canvas?, measurements unknown not signed ? Repr. : ZWROTNICA, 1927 no. 11 , ill. title page (graphic version)

VII.12

Advertising board for ZWROTNICA

[1927]

collage, tempera, paper mounted, cardboard? c.70 x 100? not signed?

Bibl.: Druk funkcjonalny (exh. cat.) Lodz 1975, no. 59 ill.

Note: The board contained the title pages of ZWROTNICA from the years 1923-1927 (cf. cat. no. VI.A.8).

VII.13

Architectural Composition,

c. 1928

oil, canvas?, measurements unknown not signed ?

Repr.: A.Kargel, lnternationale Kunst.. .LITZMANSTADTER ZEITUNG, 1941 no. 75, ill. p. 15

Note: This composition is very similar to Architectural Composition 5 b (cf. cat. 1.24); in the illustration it is inverted in relation to that work. It may have been part of the collection of the Miejskie Muzeum J. and K. Bartoszewiczow in Lodz before 1939. The 1oss of some inventory books makes reliable identification impossible. Strzeminski donated Architectural Composition 5 b to the Muzeum Sztuki in Lodz in 1945, and so it could not have been part of the International Collection of Modern Art from the 1930's, which was the source of the illustration, used in the article on Entartete und judische Kunst in Lodz.

VII.14.

Statue in Koluszki,

1930-1934

plaster, sheet zinc, brick, height c.450-500

Bibl.: J. Ladnowska, Artysta i. e., SZTUKA, 1986 no.6, p.21 ; A. Paruzel, Realizacja. .., SZTUKA 1986 no. 6, ill. p. 47; Historia Pomnika... , VIA.TYGODNlK, 1993 no. 15, p.5

Note: In the school year 1930/1931 , the artist initiated the erection of the statue beside the Gimnazjum Kola Polskiej Macierzy Szkolnej (grammar school) in Koluszki. He designed and made a plasticine model of an eagle.The pupils of the school then made under his direction a second model of plaster (height c. 40 cm). They also made a plaster figure of an eagle c. 200 cm high, the cast of which was to have been put on a brick plinth. However, the work was not completed because of lack of funds and Strzeminski's leaving Koluszki for Lodz. On the turn of 1933, it was decided to cover the plaster eagle with sheet zinc and put it on the plinth. The task was performed by the same pupils and a craftsman from Koluszki. The statue was destroyed at the beginning of World War 11. There remains only one photograph of it, taken in 1934.

VII.15

Unistic Composition,

1933

oi1 on canvas, measurements unknown not signed? Repr. : ABSTRACTION-CREATION, 1933 no. 2, ill. p. 44

Note: This illustration is sometimes identified with Unistic Composition 9 (cf. cat. 1 .47). Comparison with the original shows a lot of differences, hence the supposition about the existence of a similar composition painted on the canvas in the shape of a reclining rectangle.

VII.16

City-scape of Lodz

tempera, cardboard, c. 25 x 20? not signed ?

Repr.: FORMA, 1933 no. I , ill. p. 12; Tragiczne plasy Chochola, POLSKA DRUGA, 1933 no. I , ill. p.5.

VII.17

Seascape, [1934) tempera, cardboard, 20 x 25 signed?

Note: The picture belonged to Samuel Szczekacz (Zur). The archives of the Muzeum Sztuki in Lodz have only a Xerox coin py of a photograph of this work. Its later whereabouts are not known to us.

VII.18

Unistic Composition,

[1934-1935]

oil, canvas, measurements unknown not signed ?

Repr.: : Dyskusja, L. Chwistek - W. Strzeminski, FORMA, 1935 no. 3, ill. p. 5 (graphic version), ABSTRACTION-CREATION 1936 no. 5, ill. p.26; FORMA 1938 no. 6, ill. p. 24

VII.19.

Pavillion in the park,

[1934-1935]

technique and measurements unknown Repr. : W.Strzeminski, Haslo przeciw..., TYGODNlK ARTYSTOW, 1935 no. 14, ill. p. 2.

Compiled by Zenobia Karnicka