Untitled (Abstract Composition), Barbara Kwasniewska (b. 1931), c.1960s, color etching, 22x30 in, signed & ed. 29/35.
A rare, hand-signed color etching by Barbara Kwasniewska (b. 1931), Polish-born Paris-based modernist printmaker, edition 29/35. This striking mid-century abstract composition features bold biomorphic forms in saturated orange, cobalt blue, indigo, yellow, and black, set against a richly textured ground evocative of woven textile. A refined example of postwar European abstraction influenced by the École de Paris and the atelier of Johnny Friedlaender. Acquired from Mitch Morse Gallery.
Artwork Description
This luminous abstract composition exemplifies Barbara Kwasniewska’s mature period as a Paris-based printmaker working within the orbit of postwar European abstraction. Executed as a color etching, the work reveals a confident command of form and surface.
The composition is structured around layered, biomorphic shapes: a bold orange field encircles a vibrant blue form, intersected by a sleek black vertical silhouette edged in white. Accents of indigo and luminous yellow anchor the lower portion, creating dynamic chromatic balance. The white contour lines function as both separators and rhythmic graphic elements—recalling the disciplined yet fluid linework associated with the Friedlaender school of intaglio.
The textured ground is particularly noteworthy. It evokes woven fiber or tapestry, aligning with documented periods in which the artist explored tapestry and sculptural form beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This tactile illusion adds visual depth and distinguishes the work from flatter screen-based processes.
The print is hand-signed lower right and numbered 29/35 lower left, indicating a scarce edition. The restrained edition size suggests a workshop-controlled production rather than a mass commercial print run. The scale (22 x 30 inches) provides strong wall presence while maintaining the intimacy of hand-pulled intaglio work.
This composition reflects the broader mid-century movement toward organic abstraction—where form becomes symbolic rather than representational. The central black form, nested within blue and encircled by orange, may suggest figure/void duality, interior/exterior tension, or archetypal feminine contours—interpretations consistent with European abstraction of the 1960s.
Artist Biography
Barbara Kwasniewska (born Warsaw, Poland, 1931) is a Polish-born modernist painter and printmaker whose career bridges postwar Eastern European training and the vibrant artistic milieu of Paris. She studied painting from 1950–1956 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow (Beaux-Arts Institute of Krakow), receiving rigorous academic formation during a period when Polish art was negotiating the tension between Socialist Realism and emerging abstraction.
In 1958 she relocated to Paris, a decisive move that aligned her with the École de Paris and the international printmaking revival centered around Atelier 17. In Paris she studied printmaking under Johnny Friedlaender, one of the most influential postwar intaglio masters. Friedlaender’s atelier emphasized technical innovation in etching and aquatint, and Kwasniewska’s work demonstrates this refined technical discipline through controlled line, tonal layering, and experimental surface.
Her international recognition began early. In 1961 she received Honorable Mention at the Ljubljana Biennale (Yugoslavia), a major international print exhibition. Her work was selected for the Second Biennale of Paris. In 1963 she won first prize as a foreign painter awarded by the Friends of the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris. She later became laureate of the Third Biennale of Krakow (1970).
Her work has been exhibited in major international biennials including Ljubljana, Tokyo, Grenchen, Cracow, Frechen, Frederikstad, Ségovie, Biella, and Venice (1976), reflecting broad European engagement. Since the 1960s she expanded her practice to include sculpture (from 1968) and tapestry (from 1972), demonstrating interdisciplinary exploration consistent with modernist experimentation across mediums.
Kwasniewska’s oeuvre reflects the synthesis of Polish structural rigor and Parisian abstraction. Her prints often feature organic forms, controlled line, and bold color relationships, situating her within postwar European abstraction rather than American Abstract Expressionism. As of 2026, her works remain sought after by collectors of École de Paris printmaking and postwar European modernism, particularly those with documented biennial participation and Friedlaender atelier connections.
Barbara Kwasniewska (b. 1931), Untitled Abstract Composition, color etching, 22 x 30 in, signed lower right, edition 29/35. Paris period, c.1960s. Provenance: Mitch Morse Gallery; Artfind Gallery, Washington DC.
Certificate of Authentication
This certifies that the accompanying artwork, Untitled (Abstract Composition), color etching, 22 x 30 inches, edition 29/35, signed by Barbara Kwasniewska (b. 1931), is an authentic, hand-pulled print created during the artist’s Paris period, circa 1960s.
The work was acquired from Mitch Morse Gallery, which sourced works in New York City and Europe, and is presently held by Artfind Gallery, Washington DC.
Condition
Very good vintage condition. Strong color saturation. Minor age-appropriate toning to paper margins. No visible tears or restoration. Signature and edition markings clear and intact.
Provenance
Mitch Morse Gallery, New York (acquired in NYC and Europe)
Artfind Gallery, Washington DC (current owner)
Untitled (Abstract Composition), Barbara Kwasniewska (b. 1931), c.1960s, color etching, 22x30 in, signed & ed. 29/35.
A rare, hand-signed color etching by Barbara Kwasniewska (b. 1931), Polish-born Paris-based modernist printmaker, edition 29/35. This striking mid-century abstract composition features bold biomorphic forms in saturated orange, cobalt blue, indigo, yellow, and black, set against a richly textured ground evocative of woven textile. A refined example of postwar European abstraction influenced by the École de Paris and the atelier of Johnny Friedlaender. Acquired from Mitch Morse Gallery.
Artwork Description
This luminous abstract composition exemplifies Barbara Kwasniewska’s mature period as a Paris-based printmaker working within the orbit of postwar European abstraction. Executed as a color etching, the work reveals a confident command of form and surface.
The composition is structured around layered, biomorphic shapes: a bold orange field encircles a vibrant blue form, intersected by a sleek black vertical silhouette edged in white. Accents of indigo and luminous yellow anchor the lower portion, creating dynamic chromatic balance. The white contour lines function as both separators and rhythmic graphic elements—recalling the disciplined yet fluid linework associated with the Friedlaender school of intaglio.
The textured ground is particularly noteworthy. It evokes woven fiber or tapestry, aligning with documented periods in which the artist explored tapestry and sculptural form beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This tactile illusion adds visual depth and distinguishes the work from flatter screen-based processes.
The print is hand-signed lower right and numbered 29/35 lower left, indicating a scarce edition. The restrained edition size suggests a workshop-controlled production rather than a mass commercial print run. The scale (22 x 30 inches) provides strong wall presence while maintaining the intimacy of hand-pulled intaglio work.
This composition reflects the broader mid-century movement toward organic abstraction—where form becomes symbolic rather than representational. The central black form, nested within blue and encircled by orange, may suggest figure/void duality, interior/exterior tension, or archetypal feminine contours—interpretations consistent with European abstraction of the 1960s.
Artist Biography
Barbara Kwasniewska (born Warsaw, Poland, 1931) is a Polish-born modernist painter and printmaker whose career bridges postwar Eastern European training and the vibrant artistic milieu of Paris. She studied painting from 1950–1956 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow (Beaux-Arts Institute of Krakow), receiving rigorous academic formation during a period when Polish art was negotiating the tension between Socialist Realism and emerging abstraction.
In 1958 she relocated to Paris, a decisive move that aligned her with the École de Paris and the international printmaking revival centered around Atelier 17. In Paris she studied printmaking under Johnny Friedlaender, one of the most influential postwar intaglio masters. Friedlaender’s atelier emphasized technical innovation in etching and aquatint, and Kwasniewska’s work demonstrates this refined technical discipline through controlled line, tonal layering, and experimental surface.
Her international recognition began early. In 1961 she received Honorable Mention at the Ljubljana Biennale (Yugoslavia), a major international print exhibition. Her work was selected for the Second Biennale of Paris. In 1963 she won first prize as a foreign painter awarded by the Friends of the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris. She later became laureate of the Third Biennale of Krakow (1970).
Her work has been exhibited in major international biennials including Ljubljana, Tokyo, Grenchen, Cracow, Frechen, Frederikstad, Ségovie, Biella, and Venice (1976), reflecting broad European engagement. Since the 1960s she expanded her practice to include sculpture (from 1968) and tapestry (from 1972), demonstrating interdisciplinary exploration consistent with modernist experimentation across mediums.
Kwasniewska’s oeuvre reflects the synthesis of Polish structural rigor and Parisian abstraction. Her prints often feature organic forms, controlled line, and bold color relationships, situating her within postwar European abstraction rather than American Abstract Expressionism. As of 2026, her works remain sought after by collectors of École de Paris printmaking and postwar European modernism, particularly those with documented biennial participation and Friedlaender atelier connections.
Barbara Kwasniewska (b. 1931), Untitled Abstract Composition, color etching, 22 x 30 in, signed lower right, edition 29/35. Paris period, c.1960s. Provenance: Mitch Morse Gallery; Artfind Gallery, Washington DC.
Certificate of Authentication
This certifies that the accompanying artwork, Untitled (Abstract Composition), color etching, 22 x 30 inches, edition 29/35, signed by Barbara Kwasniewska (b. 1931), is an authentic, hand-pulled print created during the artist’s Paris period, circa 1960s.
The work was acquired from Mitch Morse Gallery, which sourced works in New York City and Europe, and is presently held by Artfind Gallery, Washington DC.
Condition
Very good vintage condition. Strong color saturation. Minor age-appropriate toning to paper margins. No visible tears or restoration. Signature and edition markings clear and intact.
Provenance
Mitch Morse Gallery, New York (acquired in NYC and Europe)
Artfind Gallery, Washington DC (current owner)
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