Personalities of the interwar period portrayed by Leopold Gottlieb, part 2
- 18.11.2025
Where does a legend end and a portrait begin? Leopold Gottlieb, a painter with remarkable psychological insight, met the greatest figures of his time. His Paris studio in rue Vaugirard was a meeting place not only for artists but diplomats, philosophers and politicians that formed the European elite in the interwar period.
One of those exceptional people was Józef Mickiewicz, the youngest son of Adam, the national bard. The portrait of the poet’s son produced by Gottlieb is a unique encounter of two worlds: romantic heritage and modern form. The artist reached with his brush the very heart of Polish tradition to pay homage to it in a new interwar reality.
Gottlieb also portrayed other creators of the time: French philosopher Jules de Gaultier, politician Théodore Steeg and diplomat Alfred Chłapowski. Each of those works captured not only an image but also the spirit of the times, intellectual and artistic exchange that defined the postwar world.
His studio hosted a kaleidoscope of interwar elite. Gottlieb not only immortalised it – he was also an integral part of it.
The drawings and photographs come from the artist’s family archives, digitised as part of a project co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund.
Galeria
Personalities of the interwar period portrayed by Leopold Gottlieb
Introductory board.
Józef Mickiewicz (1744–1817)
The artist painting a depiction of Józef Mickiewicz – Adam Mickiewicz’s youngest son.
Jules de Gaultier (1858–1942)
French philosopher and essayist, literary critic.
Alfred Chłapowski (1874–1940)
Economist, politician, minister and diplomat in the Second Polish Republic, Polish ambassador in France.
Theodore Steeg (1868–1950)
French lawyer, politician, he served several terms as Minister of Public Enlightenment and Fine Arts and Justice, French Prime Minister in 1930-1931.
Project funding
Co-funding for this project was provided by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund.