Jan Ciągliński

Jan Ciągliński
Jan Ciągliński (1858–1913), Polish, Jan Ciągliński, a Polish painter who made his mark in Russia, was born on February 20, 1858, in Warsaw and passed away on January 6, 1913, in Saint Petersburg. Recognized as a precursor of Russian Impressionism, Ciągliński's artistic journey began under the tutelage of Wojciech Gerson in Warsaw before he furthered his education at the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg from 1879 to 1885. His quest for artistic mastery briefly took him to Paris in 1894. Settling in Saint Petersburg around 1879, Ciągliński became a revered educator, teaching at the Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts and later at the Higher Art School attached to the Academy of Arts, where he was honored with the title of academician in 1906 and became a full professor by 1911. Beyond his academic contributions, he founded a private painting school and co-established the art group 'World of Art.' His travels across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East deeply influenced his work, which spanned landscapes, symbolic paintings, figural compositions, and portraits, with a notable focus on light and color. Ciągliński's legacy includes portraits of luminaries such as Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Frédéric Chopin. In a final act of patriotism, he bequeathed his works to Poland, with the majority transferred to Polish museums after 1922.
  • Portrait of Eugenia Alexandra Rubtsov, mother of the painter Rubtsov (1910)

    Portrait of Eugenia Alexandra Rubtsov, mother of the painter Rubtsov (1910)

    Jan Ciągliński (Polish, 1858–1913)

    A woman gazes past the frame, her face softly lit with quiet dignity. Loose brushstrokes blur the edges of her dark dress, letting warmth seep into the background. There’s weight in her stillness—not posed, but paused, as if she might sigh and turn away any moment.

  • Temple of Apollo and Mount Parnassus in Corinth. From the journey to Greece (1905)

    Temple of Apollo and Mount Parnassus in Corinth. From the journey to Greece (1905)

    Jan Ciągliński (Polish, 1858–1913)

    Sunlight dances across ancient columns, their weathered stone glowing against Parnassus’ hazy slopes. Olive trees sway in the warm breeze, their silver leaves whispering over the temple ruins. The mountain’s shadow stretches toward Corinth, blending myth with the golden afternoon.

  • Study of a streetwalker for the painting “East” (1910)

    Study of a streetwalker for the painting “East” (1910)

    Jan Ciągliński (Polish, 1858–1913)

    A lone woman pauses under dim streetlights, her figure sketched with loose, urgent strokes. The shadows cling to her like a second skin, blurring the edges between her and the night. A fleeting glimpse of urban life, raw and unfinished.

  • Wild flowers (1890 – 1900)

    Wild flowers (1890 – 1900)

    Jan Ciągliński (Polish, 1858–1913)

    A tangle of wildflowers bursts across the canvas, their petals catching light like scattered sparks. The brushstrokes hum with movement—grasses sway, blooms tilt, as if a breeze just passed through. No careful garden here; this is nature untamed, alive.