Singing boys 1934

Zygmunt Waliszewski made ‘Singing boys’ in 1936 using pencil and watercolour. Look closely and you'll see how the colours seem to float, thinly applied, like a memory or a fleeting moment. Waliszewski's marks are quick and light, capturing the essence of the figures, not weighed down by detail. There's a beautiful freedom here, a sense of joy in the making. He's not trying to create a perfect representation, but to capture the feeling of the scene. It’s all about the process and the moment of creation, not the end result. Notice the central figure, mouth open in song, the colour around his face, a mix of joy and melancholy. It reminds me of Dufy’s breezy style, but with a Polish twist. Waliszewski uses a similar kind of shorthand, but his colours are more muted, more subdued. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation, building on what came before, but with its own unique voice.