Józef Czapski - L'Humanité / Humanity

An exhibition of drawings and paintings by Józef Czapski - painter, writer, and witness to the 20th century’s most dramatic events - from the Warsaw Archdiocese Museum’s own collection.

Warsaw Archdiocese Museum on the exhibition:

Part of the Year of Józef Czapski, the exhibition gathers works from the museum’s own collection spanning over half a century of the artist’s output: from ink and pencil drawings to watercolours and oils. The exhibition’s title - L’Humanité / Humanity - states its guiding theme. Throughout his life Czapski portrayed people: anonymous passers-by, tired men at bar tables, lovers, figures from the public life of postwar France. His gaze - attentive, free of idealisation - took shape in Soviet prisoner-of-war camps, where he began drawing the faces of his fellow captives. The works, spanning decades, form a collective, honest portrait of humanity.

What to expect

The exhibition is folded into the permanent display (a regular museum ticket applies) and runs through 29 November 2026. Curator Piotr Bernatowicz also leads curator-guided tours and an accompanying lecture series.

Tickets and opening hours are on the Warsaw Archdiocese Museum’s website.

Museum profile: Warsaw Archdiocese Museum.