Still life with a portrait

This intriguing still life, painted by Zygmunt Waliszewski in 1916, presents a vibrant arrangement that feels both intimate and slightly off-kilter. The central element is a framed portrait, possibly of a woman, resting on a surface amidst a collection of everyday objects. The brushwork is loose and expressive, particularly in the way light catches on the various textures, from the smooth glass of a bottle to the soft folds of fabric. The composition plays with depth and perspective, drawing the eye through the foreground objects to the enigmatic figure in the painting within the painting. This work was created during a period when Waliszewski was deeply engaged with the artistic avant-garde in Tbilisi, and it reflects an experimental approach to traditional genres, pushing the boundaries of what a still life could convey beyond mere representation.