Welcome to the dawn of freedom

The charming and technically sophisticated work was often reproduced by the artist in the form of postcards. It also decorated the cover of a portfolio of auto-lithographs, published in 1913 in Lublin. On the postcard in question, it appears in colour. It is maintained in a subdued, but cheerful, pastel colouring. The frame in the form of a five-leaved vine, surrounding the scene from above, adds elegance and finesse to the whole. In the background, one can see Lublin, a city which Barwicki particularly loved and chose as the place of his residence. He glorified Lublin with his brush and pen, depicting its history and legends. He idealised the views, showing it as a beautiful and charming city, surrounded by green meadows and trees.

The postcard conveys a mood of joy and liberation, as evidenced by the short text in the bottom corner: "Welcome dawn of freedom, behind you the sun of salvation". The work is full of symbols expressing hope for the imminent regaining of independence: the rising sun, a flowery meadow, blossoming trees. Of great importance is the figure of a peasant cheering with his cap. He is a symbol of tradition and Polishness, a refuge of national values. This figure also appears in other patriotic works by Barwicki, such as Zmartwychwstanie Polski [Resurrection of Poland] from 1918. A peasant kneeling before a woman - Polonia - hands her an infant, a symbol of the reborn homeland.

The postcard reflects the mood prevailing in Polish society on the eve of regaining independence. Its publication coincided with the entry of Austrian troops into Lublin and the withdrawal of Russian troops after more than a century of stationing in the city. After the third partition of Poland, the Lublin Voivodeship came under Austrian rule, and after 1815, by a decision of the Congress of Vienna, it became part of the Kingdom of Poland, subject to Russia. Initially, it had limited autonomy, which diminished after the national uprisings. Therefore, in the summer of 1915, although formally Poland was not yet a sovereign country, when Austrian soldiers and Polish legionaries entered the city, hopes for regaining independence were revived.