Facts About Jewess with Oranges
Jewess with Oranges is an 1880-1881 oil painting on canvas by the Polish artist Aleksander Gierymski. During World War II, the painting was stolen by German forces and recovered in 2011.
Description
It was painted in oil technique in 1880-1881 in Warsaw. The painting shows a Jewish shopkeeper, whom the artist immortalized in another image Jewess with Lemons. The woman has poor clothing, a cap on her head, and a scarf on her shoulders. She is carrying two baskets of oranges. The background depicts the roofs of Warsaw houses. The woman's face is serious. Her highlighted cheeks and prominent wrinkles heighten the effect of sadness and helplessness, which directly emanate from her character. In contrast, there are oranges whose color is a reference to life, heat, and the southern climate. The painter signed his name in the lower left corner and put the name of the city where he painted the picture.
History
The image originally belonged to the antique store Dom Sztuki in Warsaw and later was purchased by the National Museum in Warsaw. During World War II, the painting was stolen by German forces, and since 1945, Poland had sought its return. In 2010, the painting appeared in an antique market in Northern Germany and Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland began negotiations to bring the painting to Poland, which was successful in 2011, after compensation was paid out by the Polish PZU Foundation to the German owner. The amount paid has not been disclosed.
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