Poster ‘Freedom’, 1919?, print on paper, Polish Museum in America
License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Source: Instytut Polonika, Modified: yes, License terms and conditions
Photo showing ‘Freedom’ poster
Poster ‘Freedom’, 1919?, print on paper, Polish Museum in America
License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Source: Instytut Polonika, License terms and conditions
Photo showing ‘Freedom’ poster

‘Freedom’ poster

The painting is set within a wide, dark-brown wooden frame. The composition is symmetrical and allegorical. The main figures are arranged on either side of a central axis marked by the Statue of Liberty, the setting or rising sun, and the inscription ‘WOLNOŚĆ’.

On the left-hand side is a female figure personifying Poland. She is dressed in a light-coloured gown, a blue cloak and gold accessories. She wears a golden headband or tiara. In her left hand, she holds the staff of a red banner bearing a white eagle. The figure faces to the right, towards the other personification and the Statue of Liberty.

On the right-hand side stands a female figure personifying America. She is dressed in an outfit featuring the colours and motifs of the United States flag: a blue bodice or upper part of a dress with white stars, and white and red stripes at the bottom. On her head she wears a hat or cap with a light-coloured brim. She holds an American flag in her hand. The figure faces to the left, towards the personification of Poland.

In the centre, in the background of the composition, on the water or on an island, stands the Statue of Liberty. Behind her is a low-set sun, its rays spreading upwards. The water and the horizon separate the foreground from the symbolic space. On the left-hand side, in the background, a rocky island, a castle, a lighthouse or a stylised defensive structure can be seen. At the bottom left, buildings are depicted.

The colour scheme is bright and decorative. Blues, reds, whites, golden yellows and greens dominate. The composition is based on clear contrasts between the national colours: red and white on the Polish side, and red, white and blue on the American side. The light of the radiant sun reinforces the sacred and solemn nature of the depiction.

The work depicts freedom as an idea shared by the Polish and American political communities. Polish symbolism appears on the left, American symbolism on the right, with the Statue of Liberty at the centre. The composition’s layout creates a visual bridge between Poland and the United States. This is not a depiction of a single state, but an allegory of an alliance of values.

The personification of Poland holds a red banner bearing the White Eagle. This symbol is not a neutral flag, but a national and communal emblem. In the context of emigration, it may signify a remembrance of one’s country of origin, the continuity of identity and an attachment to Polish symbolism despite living outside Poland’s borders.

The personification of America holds the flag of the United States and is dressed in an outfit based on its colours. When juxtaposed with the Statue of Liberty, it creates an image of America as a space of freedom, refuge and political promise. For Polish emigrants in the United States, such a depiction may have served as an image of identification: here, Poland and America are not set in opposition to one another, but are woven into a single narrative of freedom.

It is worth noting that the depiction is highly allegorical and didactic in nature. The viewer need not recognise complex historical references. The image is intended to have an immediate impact, through easily identifiable symbols. This is a typical mechanism of popular patriotic art, intended for a wide audience. The composition is clear, symmetrical and subordinate to the idea. The aim is not a realistic depiction of space, but rather the organisation of symbols. The figures are depicted theatrically, in pose, like participants in an allegorical scene.

The style of the depiction can be described as academic-decorative, with elements of popular Polish diaspora iconography. The modelling of the figures is soft, idealised and devoid of individualised portraiture. The faces are conventional, and the gestures clear. Ornamentation, rays of light, flags and national colours play a more significant role than the psychology of the figures.

The colour scheme is subordinated to the clarity of national symbolism. The red and white of the Polish banner correspond to the red, white and blue of the American flag. The golden light of the sun introduces a tone of hope and rebirth. The blue of the water and sky opens up the space, but does not create realistic depth. Rather, it serves as a backdrop for the symbolic meeting of the two personifications.

Inscription:

WOLNOŚĆ //.

Time of construction:

1919 (?)

Dimensions:

60 x 47 cm

Materials:

paper

Additional Information about materials:

printing on paper

Additional information:

catalogue number: PMA 2022.047.001
provenance: a gift from the descendants of Bronisław Krzyżewski – a soldier in Haller’s Army; the item hung in the family home in Connecticut

Publication:

05.12.2025

Last updated:

19.06.2026

Author of the documentation sheet:

Daniela Wojas

Card update:

  • Bartłomiej Gutowski, opis katalogowy
see more Text translated automatically
A poster from 1919 entitled ‘Freedom’, depicting two women holding flags – one bearing the Polish eagle and the other the American flag – with the Statue of Liberty in the background. Photo showing ‘Freedom’ poster Gallery of the object +1
Poster ‘Freedom’, 1919?, print on paper, Polish Museum in America
A poster entitled ‘Freedom’ depicting two women standing face to face. One is holding a Polish flag, the other an American one. In the background are the Statue of Liberty and the rising sun. Photo showing ‘Freedom’ poster Gallery of the object +1
Poster ‘Freedom’, 1919?, print on paper, Polish Museum in America

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