Witkacy (Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz) cannot be read or observed with indifference. Captivating for some, and annoying for others, he is always astonishing. This fascinating painter, playwright, prose-writer, and philosopher (1885-1939) was one of the most extraordinary and multi-faceted personalities in the world of the arts in early 20th-century Poland. During his lifetime his original ideas and unconventional lifestyle evoked controversies. Real recognition for him came only posthumously. His plays have been translated into several languages and performed in theatres all over the world.
This is the second and last part of Blonski's monograph on Witkacy. It presents the world of this artist's novels and plays. The first part, entitled Od Stasia do Witkacego, had an excellent reception.
"Jan Blonski has been grappling with Witkacy since the age of 32. We have been watching their psychological tug-of-war as if it were a tantalising show, and have been surprised again and again by the unexpected ideas." (Janusz Degler)
Jan Blonski (b. 1931), Professor of the Jagiellonian University, literary historian, critic, and essayist, has made a reputation for himself chiefly by his sophisticated and profound interpretations of the 20th-century classics, Proust, Beckett, Witkacy, Gombrowicz, Milosz, and Mrozek.
- Jan Błoński
Witkacy: Artmaster, Philosopher, and Aesthete / Witkacy. Sztukmistrz. Filozof. Estetyk
Wydawnictwo Literackie, Krakow 2001
translation rights: Jan Bloński, rights available
145 x 205, 392 pages, illustrations, paperback
ISBN 83-08-03073-4