Dora Bianka (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Dorota Kucembianka; November 6, 1895, or 1896 – September 8, 1979) was a Polish painter and illustrator. She was known for her

still life A still life (: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly wikt:inanimate, inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or artificiality, human-m ...

paintings; and

landscape painting Landscape painting, also known as landscape art, is the depiction in painting of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, rivers, trees, and forests, especially where the main subject is a wide view—with its elements arranged into a cohe ...

, particularly of seascapes of the

South of France Southern France, also known as the south of France or colloquially in French as , is a geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi atlantique'', Atlas e ...

, and views of Paris. She had lived in Paris for many years, before moving to

Aix-en-Provence Aix-en-Provence, or simply Aix, is a List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, city and Communes of France, commune in southern France, about north of Marseille. A former capital of Provence, it is the Subprefectures in France, s ...

Early life and education

Dora Bianka was born as Dorota Kucembianka, on November 6, 1895, or 1896, in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

, Poland. Her father was a

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...

, and their family was wealthy. She attended a school for young girls founded by countess Cecylia Plater-Zyberk in Warsaw. Bianka studied painting under Fernand Humbert and Louis Biloul at the

École des Beaux-Arts ; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centu ...

in Paris.

Career

Bianka was friends with artists Joan Miró and

Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau ( , ; ; 5 July 1889 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, film director, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost avant-garde artists of the 20th-c ...

, and was part of the

School of Paris The School of Paris (, ) refers to the French and émigré artists who worked in Paris in the first half of the 20th century. The School of Paris was not a single art movement or institution, but refers to the importance of Paris as a centre o ...

circle. In 1923, she first exhibited at the Salon d'Automne. In 1924, she exhibited at the salon and was presented by Joan Miró, and she continued to exhibit her work at the Salon d'Automne for many years after. In addition she exhibited in 1924 and 1925, at Société des Artistes Indépendants; and in 1926 at Salon des Tuileries. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, she settled in

Death and legacy

Bianka died on September 8, 1979, in Le Chesnay, France. The ''Foundation Rose Taupin–Dora Bianka'', is a French foundation named after her, which awards an annual scholarship to young painter to attend the Paris École des Beaux-Arts. Bianka's artwork was mostly forgotten, but she has been experienced a second wave of attention. In 2023, the Polish Library in Paris hosted a solo exhibition. Her character appeared in the television film ''Miró'' (2023), directed by Oriol Ferrer and produced by Televisió de Catalunya (TV3).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bianka, Dora 1890s births 1979 deaths Date of birth uncertain Artists from Paris Artists from Warsaw Polish emigrants to France Polish illustrators Polish women painters