Landscape of a Very Happy Country
Print
1918 (made)
1918 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Although he spent most of his adult life living in Paris, the painter and graphic artist Konstanty Brandel often visited his native Poland and continued to consider himself a Polish artist. His work may be described as Symbolist and has much in common with that of figures such as Odilon Redon and Gustave Doré, although Hieronymus Bosch, Giovanni Battista Piranesi and Francisco de Goya have also been cited as possible influences.
Brandel’s imagery often includes architecture or landscape fantastically interpreted, with exaggerated and highly improbable structures, scale and perspective. These fantasies are frequently inhabited by men, women and animals engaged in strange or ritualistic behaviour. The figures increase the sense of vast dimension and are often endowed with supernatural powers such as the ability to float or fly.
Despite its optimistic title (which may or may not be ironic) this landscape is deeply disturbing, particularly in its symmetrical treatment of foreshore, lake, island and distant mountains. Of the two barely discernable figures, that on the left seems to have metamorphosed into a tree or rock.
Brandel’s imagery often includes architecture or landscape fantastically interpreted, with exaggerated and highly improbable structures, scale and perspective. These fantasies are frequently inhabited by men, women and animals engaged in strange or ritualistic behaviour. The figures increase the sense of vast dimension and are often endowed with supernatural powers such as the ability to float or fly.
Despite its optimistic title (which may or may not be ironic) this landscape is deeply disturbing, particularly in its symmetrical treatment of foreshore, lake, island and distant mountains. Of the two barely discernable figures, that on the left seems to have metamorphosed into a tree or rock.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Title | Landscape of a Very Happy Country (assigned by artist) |
Materials and techniques | Drypoint and etching |
Brief description | Konstanty Brandel: 'Paysage du Pays Bienheureux [Lanscape of a very happy country], drypoint and etching, 1918. |
Physical description | Landscape with a lake in the centre. On either side in mid-distance high mountains rise symetrically on either side. In the foreground and centrally placed, a small island with an avenue between trees and curious perspective; also symetrically on either side and nearer the front of the picture plane two trees on the shore, from which figures - one from each - seem to be emerging. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Production type | Limited edition |
Marks and inscriptions | Brandel (Signature, just below the image on the plate, on right.) |
Credit line | Given by the artist’s uncle, Witold Leitgeber |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Although he spent most of his adult life living in Paris, the painter and graphic artist Konstanty Brandel often visited his native Poland and continued to consider himself a Polish artist. His work may be described as Symbolist and has much in common with that of figures such as Odilon Redon and Gustave Doré, although Hieronymus Bosch, Giovanni Battista Piranesi and Francisco de Goya have also been cited as possible influences. Brandel’s imagery often includes architecture or landscape fantastically interpreted, with exaggerated and highly improbable structures, scale and perspective. These fantasies are frequently inhabited by men, women and animals engaged in strange or ritualistic behaviour. The figures increase the sense of vast dimension and are often endowed with supernatural powers such as the ability to float or fly. Despite its optimistic title (which may or may not be ironic) this landscape is deeply disturbing, particularly in its symmetrical treatment of foreshore, lake, island and distant mountains. Of the two barely discernable figures, that on the left seems to have metamorphosed into a tree or rock. |
Associated objects |
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Bibliographic reference | Konstanty Brandel Muzeum Narodow w Warszawie, Galeria Szfuki Wspolczesnej. Warsaw Listopad- grudzien 1977. Prints cat no. 140 |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.1445-1993 |
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Record created | August 24, 2006 |
Record URL |
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