Soter August Jaxa-Małachowski – motyw czarnomorski w twórczości malarza

Abstract

Soter August Jaxa-Małachowski (1867–1952) was born in the Crimea, in the estate of Wolanów (currently in Ukraine, near Odessa) in the nineteenth century in Russian Empire. He came from a wealthy landowning family. He was the son of Ryszard, landowner and Dorota of Małachowski. He is an outstanding Polish painter, landscape and maritime painter. Jaxa-Małachowski is known mainly as a painter of the three seas: the Black Sea (due to his birthplace); The Mediterranean Sea, which he knew from the time of his travel around Italy and the Baltic Sea, which he immortalized on his works, painting landscapes around Hel, Gdynia Orłowo and Jastrzębia Góra. The researcher is particularly interested in the subject of the Black Sea (which is part of the painter’s early compositions). These are very important works in the artist’s achievements. In this context important are following marine landscapes: Brzeg Morza Czarnego (The Black Sea shore), Burza u brzegów Krymu (The storm near the Crimea), as well as Burza w Dofinówce pod Odessą (The storm in Dofinówka near Odessa). His painting entitled Cisza (Silence) is also in similar convention. These are very suggestive images, almost on the edge of the worlds of reality and dreams. The oneiric world, the magic of virgin landscape, sometimes pulsating colors, as well as phenomenal – almost impressionistic – the play of chiaroscuro subtly intertwines with the everyday life of its inhabitants, often shown in a distant but very important background. Jaxa-Małachowski left behind an enormous amount of works (including the most valuable ones, among them those about Black Sea), to this day inspiring generations of researchers and fascinates of his extraordinarily intriguing and colorful creativity.