Gustaw Herling-Grudziński i Konstanty A. Jeleński o malarstwie Jana Lebensteina

The article compares the views of Gustaw Herling-Grudziński and Konstanty A. Jeleński on Jan Lebenstein’s painting. Drawing on observations and reflections voiced by Grudzinski in his diaristic works (1971–1999) and an essay (1994), as well as Jeleński’s critical writings – primarily reviews and essays written between 1960 and 1985 in Polish and French – the article highlights their shared perspectives on Lebenstein’s art. Their opinions on the art and artistic demeanor of the creator of Axial Figures were constant and notably similar. The article also identifies key differences in their approaches: specifically, Jeleński’s complex critical discourse is contrasted with with diaristic format of Herling-Grudziński’s concise observations. Additionally, the article examines their differing opinions on avant-garde and experimental trends in 20th-century art, against which they position Lebenstein’s oevre.