Maksymilian and Alexander Gierymski

Polish painters (brothers) and representatives of democratic realism.

Maksymilian Gierymski. Born Oct. 15, 1846, in Warsaw; died Sept. 16, 1874, in Bad Reichenhall, Germany.

Gierymski studied in the School of Fine Arts in Warsaw (1864) with R. Hadziewicz, at the Academy of Arts in Munich (1867-68), and with F. Adam. His works are characterized by subtle realistic observation and a lyrical mood, for example, The Burial of a Townsman (1868-69; in the National Museum in Warsaw until World War II) and Insurrectionary Patrol (c. 1873; National Museum, Warsaw).

Aleksander Gierymski. Born Jan. 30, 1850, in Warsaw; died Mar. 8, 1901, in Rome.

Gierymski studied in the School of Fine Arts in Warsaw (1867) with R. Hadziewicz and at the Munich Academy (1868-72) with K. von Piloty. His works have a severe integrity and remarkable images. He created pictures of life in capitalist cities, for example, Jewish Holiday (1884) and Sandpit Workers (1887), both in the National Museum, Warsaw. In the early 1880’s he developed an impressionist style, exemplified in his painting In the Summerhouse (1882; National Museum, Warsaw).