On Wednesday, June 12, at an auction in Warsaw, the painting “Reality” by Jacek Malczewski was sold for PLN 22.2 million. So it set a new price record on the Polish art market. This is the highest amount paid for a work by a Polish painter in the history of domestic auctions. The auction itself lasted only a few minutes. The starting price was PLN 18.5 million, and after the 20% auction fee was added, it rose to 22.2 million.
“Reality” by Jacek Malczewski. A work with a mysterious past
“Reality” by Jacek Malczewski was considered a lost painting for nearly a century. For decades it existed only in the form of a black-and-white photograph. Therefore, the fate of the painting aroused emotions among researchers of Malczewski’s work. It was not until 2021 that the painting unexpectedly appeared on a foreign auction site, which caused quite a sensation in the art community. Little is known about its fate during this time.
Property dispute and judicial turnaround
In 2022, the first auction “Reality.” However, at the last minute, the prosecutor’s office secured the painting, citing doubts about its legal status. The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage suspected that the work may have left the country illegally. DESA Unicum fought a battle for more than two years to recover the painting. In March 2025, the court agreed with the auction house. In turn, the painting returned to the market – already without legal obstacles.
Return and renewed success
The painting again went to auction With an asking price of PLN 17 million. Exactly the same that was set during the aborted 2022 auction. Despite the passage of time, the work has not lost its appeal. On the contrary. Malczewski not only broke his own record, but also proved that his work has a timeless and marketable value. “Reality” still arouses great excitement and interest among collectors.
Malczewski’s symbolism speaks again
The painting “Rzeczywistość” by Jacek Malczewski is one of the artist’s most intriguing and enigmatic works. Considered a master of symbolism, the artist created a work full of tension, dreamlike visions and reflections on the human condition and the fate of the homeland. The composition, which balances between reality and metaphysics, confronts the viewer with questions about identity, history and the future. It is not only an artistic masterpiece, but also an intellectual challenge.
“Reality” painting by Jacek Malczewski for the public
Before Jacek Malczewski’s “Rzeczywistość” goes to the private collection of its new owner, it can still be seen live for a few days at the auction house’s headquarters in Warsaw. The exhibition preceding the auction was extremely popular – and no wonder. This is a unique opportunity to interact up close with the most expensive work in the history of the Polish art market – a painting that for years was a mere legend, but today speaks again in full color.
