Silent Rebels. Polish Symbolism around 1900

Polish painting at the turn of the twentieth century carries the beholder away to a world of myths and legends, dreamlike landscapes, ancient traditions and customs, and the depths of the human soul. In a nation without sovereignty—until its independence in 1918, Poland had been partitioned between the Kingdom of Prussia as well as the Russian and the Austro-Hungarian Empires—a young generation of artists followed the call of a "silent rebellion" : it was about nothing less than the renewal of painting.
With their works, they created what was lacking in the political arena : a common identity. Drawing inspiration from Polish history, culture, and the natural environment, they also looked outwards to the artistic centers of Munich, Paris, Saint Petersburg, and Vienna. Presenting over one hundred and thirty important works from public and private collections, this volume sheds light on the blossoming of Polish art between 1890 and 1918, contextualizing it in the cultural, social, and political background of both Poland and Europe.