Two children with a flag 1931

Tadeusz Makowski created this oil painting, “Two children with a flag”, where the textured brushstrokes form the image before us. The figures emerge from a background of browns and creams, focusing our attention on the children's stylized faces and costumes. Makowski reduces the forms to geometric shapes; notice the cylindrical bodies and spherical heads. This abstraction, however, does not erase emotional impact. The children, with their simplified features and intense gazes, evoke a sense of both innocence and melancholy. We can analyze the semiotic nature of the image. The flag, traditionally a symbol of national identity and unity, is here reduced to a mere prop, almost an afterthought. By presenting these children in such a manner, Makowski subtly challenges conventional representations of childhood. He highlights the constructed nature of identity and the inherent ambiguity of symbols. What strikes me most is the raw application of paint, which is not just a technique but a statement—a rejection of polished illusions. Instead, Makowski offers a glimpse into the complex, often contradictory, nature of human experience.