Jan Chelminski, TRANSITION, before 1875

18.5 x 17.8cm - oil, mahogany board with chamfered edges

Signed l.d.: Jan Chelminski | München

Provenance: collection of the Paskowski Family in the USA.

Dr. Richard and Catherine Paskowski were both born in New York as children of Polish immigrants. Although they lived in the United States, they cherished their Polish heritage, traveled throughout Poland and spent years amassing a fine collection of Polish art. They made many donations to Polish causes in the US. They also wanted the remainder of the collection to be returned to Poland and enjoyed by Polish collectors.

* Border VAT of 8% will be added to the Purchase Price (according to §12 item 2 of the Regulations).

♦ The object brought to Poland on a temporary clearance basis, will be released to the purchaser upon its completion and release of the object to the market.



Jan Chelminski (Brzustow near Opoczno 1851 - New York 1925) popular painter from the circle of "Polish Munich painters", began his education with Juliusz Kossak, and then studied at the Warsaw Drawing Class and in Munich - at the Academy under Alexander Strähuber and Alexander Wagner (1873-1875) and in the private studios of Jozef Brandt (1875) and the batalist Franz Adam (1876). After his studies he was already permanently abroad - in Munich, London (years 1882, 1888-1899), Paris (1899), traveled to St. Petersburg (1889) and New York (1884), where he later settled permanently around 1915. However, he did not break contacts with the country, and often sent his works to Warsaw exhibitions. His paintings enjoyed great success. He painted mainly military and battle scenes, most often from the times of the Duchy of Warsaw and the Napoleonic Wars, as well as genre paintings and hunting episodes. He was involved in book illustration; among other things, he illustrated a volume of hunting stories by Theodore Roosevelt. He was a collector of old weapons and an outstanding expert on soldier uniforms. Many of the artist's paintings are still abroad - in England, Germany or the United States. Few of them appear in antiquarian sales, constantly arousing keen interest among collectors.