GAVALEWICZ; STACHIEWICZ
QUEEN OF HEAVEN
Legends of the Virgin Mary
2nd ed.
Warsaw 1895, Gebethner and Wolff., pp. 156, [4], plates 12., format 24.5x32.5 cm.
Text by M. Gawalewicz, illustrations by P. Stachiewicz.
Decorative initials, finials, vignettes.
On plates heliogravure reproductions of paintings by Stachiewicz: Virgin of the flower, In
stable, In the flight to Egypt, Sowing, Assumption, On the thorny road, On the starry
road, Saturday ray, Yarn of the Mother of God, Wedding garlands, Thunderbird, Singer of the Mother
of God.
A collection of legends about the Mother of God compiled by Marian Gawalewicz (1852-1910). The preparation of the work was preceded by several years of the author's own efforts and the use of "the guidance of those most familiar with the subject," such as Eliza Orzeszkowa, Jan Karłowicz, S. Jarzębowski (from the introduction). The greatest asset of the book are the exceptionally beautiful illustrations made in heliogravure technique according to drawings by Piotr Stachiewicz (1858-1938), for which the artist's wife posed. The author of the study himself wrote about them: "When I saw the first sketches thrown on paper, a sort of spell of some kind blew on me at once, penetrating deeper and deeper into my soul the longer I gazed at them." The book received great acclaim from readers, and the oil paintings prepared for the album on display delighted Polish audiences, and were exhibited several times in Warsaw, Krakow, and Vienna, where critics praised the national way of illustrating legends. The cartons prepared for publishing them in the book are currently in the MN in Cracow.
HARDCOVER PUBLISHER'S PERIOD DECORATIVE CLOTH BINDING, STAINED EMBOSSING, GILT AND EMBOSSING ON THE FACES AND SPINE, BEAUTIFUL DECORATIVE LINING, GILT CARD TRIMS
Condition BDB-/ minimal rubbing of the spine and corners, notation of the number on the front cover / A NICE piece
