Poisoned Well 

Jacek Malczewski created 'Poisoned Well' in an unknown year using watercolor. At first glance, the painting brings together a disquieting blend of innocence and looming darkness, typical of Malczewski's Symbolist style. The composition is structured around three figures placed along a stone well. The loose brushstrokes and muted colors contribute to a dreamlike, almost unsettling atmosphere. The figures themselves present a contrast: a young girl in a blue dress, a boy drinking from the well, and a winged, androgynous being, possibly a fallen angel. Each embodies different states of being. The formal arrangement suggests a narrative about loss of innocence and the corruption of purity. The setting becomes a stage for psychological drama, its meaning open to interpretation. The well, a symbol of life, is rendered as a source of potential harm. The lack of clear narrative resolution reinforces the sense of unease. The painting invites us to contemplate the hidden dangers lurking beneath the surface of beauty and innocence.