Aleksander Gierymski

(b Warsaw, 30 Jan 1850; d Rome, 6-8 March 1901). Brother of (1) Maks Gierymski. He studied (1867) at the Warsaw Drawing Class, then (1868-73) at the Akademie der Bildenden K?nste in Munich under Georg Hiltensperger (1806-90) and Alexander Str?huber (1814-82), and later under Karl Theodor von Piloty. While in Munich he contributed illustrations to Polish, German and Austrian magazines. On a visit to Venice and Verona in 1871 he was especially impressed by the work of 15th-century Venetian artists; this new enthusiasm was reflected in his prize-winning painting of a subject set by the Munich Akademie, a scene from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice (1872; destr., see Starzynski, pl. 4). After accompanying his dying brother Maks to various spa towns and other locations, he settled in Rome in mid-1874. Two genre scenes from this period, Roman Tavern and A Game of Mora (both 1874; Warsaw, N. Mus.), show the influence of Dutch painting. Gierymski remained in Italy until 1879, mostly resident in Rome. He largely produced studies based on Italian Renaissance painting (e.g. Italian Siesta; Warsaw, N. Mus.) and plein-air studies for his painting The Bower (1st version 1874-80; destr. by artist; 2nd version 1882; Warsaw, N. Mus.). The long series of studies he produced for this work, (e.g. Begonias, 1876-80, L?dz, Mus. A.; and Second Study for the Bower, Warsaw, N. Mus.) were often deliberately presented as finished works.

Part of the Gierymski family

See the Abbreviations for further details.