Baroque Ladies 

Iwo Zaniewski's painting "Baroque Ladies" offers us a contemporary lens through which to view historical portraiture. The artist challenges the traditional representations of women from the Baroque era by introducing subtle, yet significant, alterations in the racial identities of his subjects. The women, adorned in period costumes, are rendered with a deliberate mix of classical and modern sensibilities. Zaniewski prompts us to consider questions of race, representation, and historical narrative. Who gets to be seen, and how? The setting evokes a sense of staged intimacy, akin to a theatrical tableau. The women are caught in moments of repose and contemplation, inviting us to reflect on the unspoken stories that might lie beneath the surface of their portraits. Zaniewski encourages a dialogue between past and present, challenging us to rethink the conventions of beauty and the complexities of identity.