Do you have a free Tuesday and fancy a solid dose of knowledge? This series of popularizing lectures was created with seniors in mind and for everyone interested in painting, sculpture, printmaking and architecture. During meetings we examine the MNW's rich collection from various, often surprising perspectives. During the lectures we encourage using worksheets — invitations to independently interpret works of art. Date: Tuesday, 1:00 PM. The worksheet is available at the Information Point from 12:00. Duration: approx. 60 minutes. Meeting point: MNW Main Hall, MUZ cinema. For whom: seniors, adults, youth. FREE ENTRY. Schedule: 27 January — Nudity and the Nude in Modern Art / Karolina Szymankiewicz 3 February — The World through Pieter Bruegel’s Eyes – Everyday Life, Symbolism and Visions of an Era / Magdalena Kucza-Kuczyńska 10 February — Warsaw Icons of Socialist Realism – MDM, Palace of Culture and Science, the Ten-Year Stadium / Monika Miżołębska 17 February — In the Royal Wardrobe of Ludwika Maria Gonzaga / Magdalena Bialic 24 February — Recycling in Old Art / Karolina Zalewska 3 March — Olga Boznańska, an Unyielding Artist / Emilia Maryniak Why do we call Olga Boznańska one of the most outstanding painters of the late 19th century? What was original about her creative process? The determination that characterised the artist continues to inspire and fascinate. We invite you to listen to a lecture about this outstanding creator and unique personality. 10 March — Beautiful Figures of Polish Design / Magdalena Kucza-Kuczyńska The lecture will cover the lives and work of outstanding Polish designers of the second half of the 20th century, such as Hanna Orthwein, Danuta Duszniak, Bohdan Lachert and Lubomir Tomaszewski. Although their work — created in such historically difficult times — often appears in our homes, we rarely know their names. Their output will be juxtaposed with works by world architects and designers such as Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. 17 March — Through the Stomach to the Heart / Lena Lewandowska Aphrodisiacs are food products that since antiquity were attributed special properties — they were believed to cause falling in love or increase sexual potency. Looking at old paintings, we notice that erotic scenes are often accompanied by food: Dutch courtesans offer oysters and wine, while boys at rural markets present roosters, fish or carrots. During the lecture we will learn about some of the most popular aphrodisiacs, discuss their uses and trace their presence in old works of art. 24 March — Chats over Tea / Beata Staniszewska Tea is obvious today. However, much time passed and many miles were covered before this drink settled in and became common worldwide. Connoisseurs maintain old traditions related to this oriental beverage, and the museum's preserved utensils will speak about tea. 31 March — Light and Colour in Impressionist Painting / Monika Jabłońska Was painting light something new? Impressionists presented it differently than their predecessors: instead of precise contours they focused on the fleeting impression — the shimmer of light, changing colours and the atmosphere of a given time of day. They used new paints and knowledge of optics, and the laws of vision and contrasts began to play a key role in painting. 7 April — How Is It Made? Secrets of the Artist's Workshop. Part 2 / Romualda Radwańska A cycle of three lectures will present means and techniques used by painters: modelling of light and shade, glazing, sfumato, impasto, alla prima technique and the term horror vacui. The story will be illustrated with works from the MNW collection and other museums. Along the way we will learn which painting in the National Museum in Warsaw's collection is the oldest and which has been in the collection for over 160 years. 14 April — History of Medicine… in a Nutshell! / Lena Lewandowska Was Hippocrates a legendary figure? How did anatomical demonstrations become the first ticketed spectacles in Europe? We will briefly trace the history of medicine from the earliest times to modernity, illustrating the lecture with images of doctors and quacks, anatomical engravings and old artefacts and utensils, such as a first-aid kit from the MNW collection. 21 April — Painters, Draughtsmen and Cartographers in Łazienki / Karolina Zalewska Old maps, paintings and drawings are valuable sources about the appearance of the Łazienki Royal Park; thanks to them we will learn the layout of the alleys, the appearance of pavilions and palaces and take a walk accompanied by Zygmunt Vogel, Marcin Zaleski and the cartographers who developed Lindley's plans. 28 April — The European Vision of the Middle East in the Early Modern Period / Karolina Szymankiewicz The image of the Middle East in the eyes of Europeans oscillated between fascination and fear; trade exchanges and armed conflicts found reflection in early modern works of art that will be discussed during the lecture. 12 May — How Is It Made? Secrets of the Artist's Workshop. Part 3 / Romualda Radwańska The third meeting will be devoted to graphic techniques: the differences between relief and planographic printing, examples of etching, linocut, drypoint and other techniques, and how colour prints are made and how many impressions can be obtained from one matrix. 19 May — Animalists and Science / Beata Staniszewska Animalist artists strove to depict animals faithfully; the lecture will discuss changes in the approach to representing their appearance and the significance of these works from the point of view of contemporary zoology. 26 May — Photo Reports of the Weekly “Świat” / Monika Miżołębska For 18 years the weekly “Świat” published photo reports documenting state ceremonies and everyday life; the photographs show Warsaw and its inhabitants in the past reality, giving a sense of participating in other cultures. 2 June — Underwear – protects, transforms, tempts / Ewa Krawczyk Before ladies and gentlemen put on decorative outfits, they wore underwear that until the 20th century was white and influenced the shape of clothing. The lecture will show what was hidden in the past and how women looked in boudoirs. Before deciding to participate in educational activities, please read the regulations — participation in the classes signifies acceptance of them. Coordination: Barbara Tichy / Education Department
