False Woman. Portrait of Mrs. Maryla Grosmanowa with Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz 

Here we see Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz’s pastel portrait of Mrs. Maryla Grosmanowa, accompanied by the artist himself and a curious feline. In this composition, the motif of the double—a pervasive symbol of the psyche's hidden depths—demands our attention. Witkiewicz presents himself painting a monstrous visage, a reflection perhaps of the anxieties and dualities that plagued modern consciousness. We might recall the ancient Greek concept of the *doppelgänger* or shadow self, an archetype that has haunted literature and art across centuries, from the works of Poe to those of Dostoevsky. Notice, too, how the image in the painting shows striking similarities to the grotesque masks worn in ancient Greek theater, where duality and hidden truths were revealed through exaggerated expressions. Witkiewicz taps into this deep well of cultural memory, using the portrait within a portrait to explore the multifaceted nature of identity. The emotional impact is unsettling—a stark reminder of the masks we wear and the hidden faces we present to the world. Ultimately, the symbol is not static. The image evolves to mirror the complex, cyclical nature of human experience.