20 - HENRYK STAZEWSKI (POLISH 1894-1988)

HENRYK STAZEWSKI (POLISH 1894-1988) Untitled, 1981 acrylic on board 20 x 20 cm (7 7/8 x 7 7/8 in.) framed dimensions: 35 x 35 cm (13 3/4 x 13 3/4 in.) signed and dated on verso PROVENANCE Galeria Art NEW Media, Warsaw, Poland, sale, December 23, 2011 The Stanisław and Alicja Jonas Collection LOT NOTES Lots 25 through 71 in this auction, are being offered directly from the Estate of the esteemed Polish art collectors, Stanisław and Alicja Jonas, two remarkable individuals whose lives were defined by resilience, intellect, and a profound dedication to the arts. Stanisław Jonas, a survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto, built a life of purpose and compassion in New York as a respected psychiatrist and counselor. His deep appreciation for the arts was more than a personal passion; it was an extension of his worldview and a form of cultural preservation. Alicja Jonas, a gifted pianist, composer, and teacher, brought her own artistic brilliance to their shared life. Having endured the hardships of wartime Poland, she immigrated to the United States in the late 1960s to reunite with Stanisław and dedicated her career to music education and composition. Together, the Jonas’s created a home filled with creativity, conversation, and artistic exploration. Their art collection reflects not only a refined aesthetic sensibility but also a lifetime of personal connections with artists and gallerists. Many of the works were acquired directly from artists whose work they admired and whose friendships they cultivated. Their relationships with key figures in the Polish and New York art scenes were essential to the development of their collection. Among the artists represented are Barbara Falender, known for her intimate sculptural forms; Rafał Olbiński, celebrated for his dreamlike surrealism; Stanisław Młodożeniec, whose expressive color and form shaped postwar Polish painting; and Krystyna Brzechwa, whose delicate compositions reflect a poetic sensibility. The collection also includes two exceptional works by Henryk Stażewski, one of the leading figures of the Polish avant-garde and a pioneer of geometric abstraction in Eastern Europe. These pieces, rare in both quality and provenance, anchor the collection in the broader trajectory of modernist innovation. Over the years, the Jonas’s cultivated meaningful relationships with several galleries that supported emerging and established Polish artists, including the Zabriskie Gallery, and Z. Michael Legutko Gallery. Their collecting was never speculative; it was personal, intentional, and grounded in dialogue, friendship, and shared cultural history. This auction offers not only a selection of fine works of art but also a portrait of a life deeply engaged with the creative world. Each piece in this collection tells a story of connection, conviction, and cultural continuity. To collect from the Jonas estate is to inherit a piece of this remarkable legacy. We are honored to present the Stanisław and Alicja Jonas Collection, a testament to two lives lived with courage, elegance, and unwavering dedication to art. Keywords: Polish Art, Polish Avant-Garde, Polish Constructivism, Geometric Abstraction, Concrete Art, European Modernism, Abstract Painting, 20th Century Polish Art, Warsaw Art Scene, Post-War European Art N.B. Condition reports are available upon request. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions & Appraisals LLC and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions & Appraisals, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.