Henryk Siemiradzki Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings. Volume 2 - Jerzy Malinowski - książka

In 2015, the Polish Institute of World Art Studies collaborated with the National Museum in Kraków, the National Museum in Warsaw, and the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow to embark on a comprehensive study of Henryk Siemiradzki, a renowned Polish painter linked with Russian and Italian artistic communities. This research endeavor, spanning five years and funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education under the "National Programme for the Development of the Humanities," culminated in the release of the comprehensive, bilingual two-volume set, "Henryk Siemiradzki: Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings." This collection catalogues not only paintings but also the related sketches and oil studies of the artist.

The primary goal of the project's team was to compile a complete Catalogue Raisonné, inclusive of every extant work by Siemiradzki and those documented works whose authenticity is corroborated through drawings, sketchbooks, reproductions, and archival photos from his studio, as well as through technical analysis. The contributors to the Catalogue Raisonné meticulously assembled bibliographic information and exhibition records for each painting, accumulated correspondence and other resources, and traced their historical background. They undertook an interpretive analysis within the context of Siemiradzki’s body of work and the broader artistic and intellectual movements of his era. The catalogue is organized into sections based on thematic categories: historical scenes, religious depictions, genre compositions, ceiling paintings, theatrical curtains, portraits, and landscapes, complemented by a chronological review of his work.

Moreover, the third volume, titled "Głosy o twórczości Henryka Siemiradzkiego" ("Voices on the Work of Henryk Siemiradzki – an Appendix"), presents in Polish a compilation of archival sources, a bibliography, and scholarly essays on the artist's contributions. Additionally, the fourth volume, "Warsztat malarski Henryka Siemiradzkiego" ("Painting Techniques, Materials, and Creative Process of Henryk Siemiradzki"), also in Polish, delves into the technical examinations and methodologies employed in his work. This project also led to a wealth of documentation regarding Siemiradzki's life and artistic output, editing of his correspondence, and explorations of periodical literature, exhibition catalogues, and other publications.

The insights gained from this research have been shared in four volumes of scholarly studies, informed by international conferences held in Warsaw in 2017 and in Kraków and Rome in 2018. The outcomes of this project not only shed light on Siemiradzki’s painted legacy but also open new avenues for understanding Polish and European art from the latter half of the 19th century.