Alicja HALICKA (1894-1975), Still life with guitar

oil, canvas, 46 × 55 cm
Signed and dated l. g.: A. Halicka / 1914.

The featured painting comes from the early and most appreciated period of Alicja Halicka's work, when the artist was strongly influenced by Parisian Cubism. The composition is made up of geometric forms, simplified planes and a subdued, somewhat muted color palette, in which the accent of the instrument's yellow contrasts with the cool grays of the background. Halicka's characteristic synthesization of shapes and fragmentation of space emphasize the structural order of the painting, while maintaining the moodiness of the still life. The work is an excellent example of her formal explorations from the pre-war period, when the artist was developing her own language inspired by the Parisian avant-garde.