Rest – sculpture

Technique: bronze cast

Dimensions: 90 cm (H), 205 cm (W), 70 cm (D)

Object: This representational figurative sculpture was made in the cast bronze technique. The horizontal composition depicts a pair of nudes, a woman and man; the large figures are leaning back to back. The arrangement of their bodies and the work’s title indicate that they are depicted in a moment of rest. The man sits with his legs bent, his arms propped against the ground. The woman is reclining on the ground. With her left hand, propped against her bent leg, she is supporting her head. The proportions of the figures are unnatural and a number of anatomical details have been simplified or upscaled by symbolically carving the limbs. The heads of the figures are tilted, slightly turned towards each other, and their facial features are depicted in a sketchy manner. The sculpture was acquired by the National Museum in Gdańsk directly from the artist on 28 November 1974. Since 1976, Rest has formed part of the open-air sculpture exhibition in Oliwa Park. It was placed on a 105 cm high granite plinth measuring 45 × 71 cm at the base. It is out of proportion with relation to the composition, meaning that some fragments of the sculpture extend beyond its structure, giving the impression of levitating in the air. The statue is not signed.

Place: The sculpture is integrated into the natural landscape of the northern part of the Adam Mickiewicz Park in Oliwa. It forms part of the Gallery of Contemporary Gdańsk Sculpture from the collection of the National Museum in Gdańsk, created on the initiative of the Museum, the District Board of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers (ZPAP) and the City Council. The outdoor gallery, showcasing works by artists from different generations, was officially opened on 30 March 1976.

Information about the author:

Irena Loroch (b. 1931 in Vilnius, d. 2018 in Gdynia) studied at the Faculty of Sculpture of the State School of Visual Arts (PWSSP) in Gdańsk – the present-day Academy of Fine Arts. She graduated in 1957 from Prof. Stanisław Horno-Popławski’s studio. She took part in the reconstruction of sculptural elements of the historic architecture of Gdańsk’s Główne Miasto. She is the author of various monuments, including To Those Who Have Crossed the Great Divide and Dream of a Settlement, both in Gdynia.

Condition of the object: awaiting renovation

Owner/guardian: The National Museum in Gdańsk

Author of the entry: Andrzej Zagrobelny