Matka Polka: 7 Classic Polish Paintings of Motherhood

Wlastimil-Hofman-Madonna-ze-szpakiem-MINIATURA.jpg, default, 'Madonna with a Starling' by Wlastimil Hofman, 1909, photo: National Museum in Poznań

#photography & visual arts

‘There is one love that does not count on reciprocity, spares no victims, cries, forgives, returns when rejected – maternal love’, wrote Polish writer Józef Ignacy Kraszewski. Mothers’ Day in Poland is on 26th May, but it doesn’t matter when you celebrate it – it’s always a good time to celebrate our mothers!

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Mum is soft hands, Mum is a melodic voice, she is blowing on an injured spot. Mum is pure goodness and pure pleasure; something that is always good to have beside you in life, around you, somewhere on the horizon. But at the same time, Mum is a series of laws, steadfast ‘go-to-sleeps’, terrible ‘put-this-ons’; Mum is being scrubbed with a scratchy towel, measured hours, a pleasant, benevolent, sunny life, but without surprises, and somewhat too holy.

Author

Extract from ‘Ziele na Kraterze’ by Melchior Wańkowicz, trans. NR

‘Motherhood’ by Stanisław Wyspiański

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'Motherhood' by Stanisław Wyspiański, photo: promotional materials of DESA Unicum

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Let’s begin with an absolute classic. Stanisław Wyspiański was an incredibly talented artist – and not only in the visual arts. He was also a renowned poet and playwright, famous for his play The Wedding, and he even designed interiors and furniture. Wyspiański was one of the most outstanding and multifaceted artists of his time.

This portrait by Wyspiański shows his wife, Teodora Teofila Pytko, hugging their younger son Staś (most well-known for a portrait of him sleeping) to her breast. It fits in with Wyspiański’s extensive series of scenes of motherhood. The motif of a mother breastfeeding her baby, or hugging her child to her breast appeared in Wyspiański’s work after the birth of the artist’s own offspring. You can see the love he has for them in each and every piece – in the details he emphasises, the colours he uses, the sweet looks between mother and child he captures.

Fun fact: Although motherly love is priceless, this particular painting happens to be one of the priciest works of art sold in Poland. It sold at the country’s largest auction DESA Unicum for 4,366,000zł (approx. $1,134,330) in 2017. We wonder who bought this amazing present for their mum!

‘Mother and Child (Portrait of Mother with Little Girl) / A Woman in a Green Dress’ by Olga Boznańska

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‘Mother and Child (Portrait of Mother with Little Girl) / A Woman in a Green Dress’ by Olga Boznańska, photo: National Museum in Warsaw

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Another remarkable figure from the Polish art world, Olga Boznańska, was one of the most distinguished portrait painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Associated with modernism, she spent much of her career between Kraków, Munich and Paris, earning international recognition for her deeply psychological portraits and subtle, ambient style. Rather than focusing on strict realism, Boznańska captured mood, emotion and the inner life of her subjects with an almost poetic sensitivity.

This particular painting presents an intimate scene between a mother and her young daughter. The figures emerge softly from a muted background, almost as if suspended in time. The titular green dress draws the eye, yet it doesn’t overpower the composition, instead, it harmonises with Boznańska’s signature palette of subdued, slightly hazy tones. The brushwork is loose and delicate, giving the painting a dreamlike quality that feels both tender and slightly melancholic.

Unlike more literal depictions of motherhood, Boznańska avoids overt sentimentality. There is closeness here, but also a quiet distance – an introspective mood that invites the viewer to reflect rather than simply observe. The relationship between mother and child is suggested through posture and atmosphere rather than dramatic gesture, making the work feel deeply personal and psychologically rich.

‘Two Married Women’ by Andrzej Wróblewski

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'Two Married Women' by Andrzej Wróblewski, 1949, photo: National Museum in Warsaw

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Andrzej Wróblewski, Two Married Women,1949, 113,5 x 90 cm [123 x 96 x 5 cm]; oil on canvas, inv. no. rej.781/14, photo: National Museum in Warsaw

Andrzej Wróblewski was one of the most important and original Polish artists of the post-war period. Deeply marked by the trauma of World War II, he became known for his stark, emotionally charged paintings that often explored themes of loss, alienation and the fragility of human existence. His work stands somewhere between figurative art and abstraction, always carrying a strong psychological and symbolic weight.

Although not titled ‘Mothers’, the ‘contents’ the figures hold in their hands infer that these Two Married Women may also be mothers. It is somewhat more unsettling than the previous paintings. What at first glance seems simple and serene – two female figures standing side by side – becomes less straightforward when looked at closely. The women appear stiff, almost mannequin-like, their expressions subdued, if not entirely absent. Rather than suggesting intimacy or companionship, the composition evokes a sense of distance and quiet tension.

The title itself is intriguing. Here marriage, typically associated with closeness and partnership, is stripped of warmth. Instead, Wróblewski seems to question social roles and expectations – what does it mean to be a ‘married woman’? The figures feel defined more by that label than by individuality, as if their identities have been flattened into a social category. This creates a slightly unsettling effect, reinforced by the artist’s restrained colour palette and rigid composition.

As with much of Wróblewski’s work, emotion is present, but only beneath the surface. There’s a sense of stillness that borders on discomfort, inviting the viewer to look closer and confront what isn’t being openly expressed.

‘Motherhood’ by Stanisław Wyspiański (a different one!)

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'Motherhood' by Stanisław Wyspiański, 1905, photo: National Museum in Kraków

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As we can see from this and our first entry, motherhood was a recurring theme in Wyspiański’s work – it was a subject the artist explored with extraordinary tenderness and emotional depth.

Unlike more formal portraits, this piece feels deeply personal. Wyspiański wasn’t just depicting an abstract idea – he was drawing from his own life, his own experiences as a father. That authenticity shows in the way the figures interact. There is no theatricality here, only closeness, warmth, and a sense of everyday intimacy elevated into art.

At the same time, there’s something timeless about the scene. The simplified forms and soft transitions between colours give it a slightly symbolic character, as if Wyspiański was trying to capture not just one moment, but the essence of motherhood itself.

‘Mother Feeding Her Child’ by Zofia Stryjeńska

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'Woman Feeding Her Child' by Zofia Stryjeńska, after 1940, photo:.Rempex Auction House Archive

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Zofia Stryjeńska, one of the most recognisable Polish artists of the interwar period, was known for her vibrant, stylised compositions inspired by Polish folklore. Associated with Art Deco, she brought a unique energy and ornamental quality to even the most intimate subjects.

This piece presents a mother trying to feed her child, a daily battle as old as art itself, reinterpreted through the lens of Stryjeńska’s unmistakable visual language.

Unlike the soft, atmospheric approach of artists like Boznańska or the tender naturalism of Wyspiański, Stryjeńska’s figures tend to be more defined, almost sculptural. The forms are simplified and rhythmic, the colours often stronger, more decorative. Even in such an intimate moment, there is a sense of structure and stylisation that places the scene somewhere between reality and ornament.

And yet, the emotional core remains unmistakable. The act of feeding – so physical, so essential – is presented without sentimentality, but also without distance. It feels grounded, almost elemental, as if Stryjeńska is not just depicting a mother and child, but a timeless cycle of life rooted in both nature and culture.

There’s also something telling in how Stryjeńska approaches motherhood as a theme. Her own life was famously complex – she struggled to balance artistic ambition with family life, often writing about the tension between the two.

‘At the Seashore’ by Anna Bilińska-Bohdanowicz

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'At the Seaside' by Anna Bilińska-Bohdanowicz, 1886, photo: National Museum in Warsaw

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Anna Bilińska-Bohdanowicz was the first internationally-known Polish female artist. An established portrait artist in Paris, her work was presented at the most prestigious European exhibitions, and she even won a silver medal during the World Expo in Paris. Bilińska wanted to establish an art school for women in Warsaw, but her premature death cut her promising career short.

In early 1882, she accompanied her chronically ill friend Klementyna Krassowska on a journey to Munich, Salzburg, Vienna and northern Italy, before settling in Paris. When in France, she would often spend her summer holidays in Pourville, Normandy. At the Seashore is a memory from those outings and one of her most well-known works. Rather than a sunny day at the beach, one can feel a sense of melancholy, a certain gloominess.

The artist has captured not only the vastness of the seaside landscape but also the complex nature of motherhood. The figures of the mother and her child, portrayed from behind, are separated by the expanse of the sea, which is often interpreted as a sign of mourning after the loss of a child.

‘Maternity’ by Tamara Łempicka

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'Motherhood' by Tamara (Lempicka) Łempicka, 1928, photo: postcard reproduction: Dagmara Smolna

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Let’s finish with a strikingly modern take on motherhood. Tamara Łempicka (Tamara de Lempicka), one of the leading figures of Art Deco, was known for her sleek, stylised portraits of the elite, painted with a signature combination of elegance, geometry and precision. Born in Warsaw and active in Paris, she became a symbol of the glamour and independence of the interwar period. Maternity is one of the rare works in which Łempicka explores the theme of motherhood.

Created in 1928, it shows a woman breastfeeding her child, however Łempicka’s interpretation is far from a traditional, sentimental depiction. The mother is elegant, composed, almost sculptural. Draped in soft pink fabric, with perfectly arranged hair and smooth, polished skin, she looks less like a figure from everyday life and more like a modern icon. The baby, wrapped in white, rests peacefully in her arms, reinforcing the quiet intimacy of the scene.

And yet, something feels different here. Unlike Wyspiański’s warmth or Boznańska’s introspection, Łempicka introduces a subtle emotional distance. The mother’s expression is serene, but also reserved, almost detached. It’s as if she is fully in control, embodying both care and composure at once. This duality reflects Łempicka’s broader vision of women: not just nurturing figures, but strong, self-possessed individuals shaped by modernity.

_{Written by Nitzan Reisner, April 2026}

Language English