Magdalena Nowacka-Jannotta wycinanki Polish papercutting collection

Title Page | Collection Summary | Arrangement | Biographical/Organizational Note | Scope and Content

Collection Summary

Title	Magdalena Nowacka-Jannotta wycinanki Polish papercutting collection
Span Dates	1964-2000
ID No.	AFC 2000/005
Creator	Nowacka-Jannotta, Magdalena
Extent	9 containers + 1 oversize item in map case.
Extent	127 cut-paper works : black and white, color ; 45 x 55 cm and smaller.
Extent	19 photographic prints : black and white, color ; various sizes.
Extent	72 slides : color.
Extent	1 videocassette (VHS) : sound, color ; 1/2 in.
Extent	manuscripts 6 folders.
Language	Collection materials predominantly in English with some Polish.
Location	American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Finding Aid Permalink	Cite or bookmark this finding aid as: https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/eadafc.af019001
LCCN Permalink	LC Catalog record: https://lccn.loc.gov/2017655204
Summary	Collection of 127 wycinanki, Polish paper cuts, created by Magdalena Nowacka-Jannotta (Magdalena Gilinski) and other artists including Krystyna Lis and Malwina Lis, Grazyna Gladka, Maria Brzozowska-Kosinska, Henryka Lus, Stanislawa Kosiorkowa, Czeslawa Kaczynska, Apolonia Nowak, M. Dzik, Janina Strycharska-Wanrykowicz, Bieguszewska, Grzegora Justyna, Staniskawa Bulsin, Stanislawa Nowakoloska, Stanislawa Niespusin, Prusaczek Stanislawa and unidentified artists, from 1964-2005, and undated. The wycinanki in this collection highlight the papercutting styles of the Kurpie and Łowicz regions of Poland. Wycinanki from the Kurpie region feature one color star-shaped designs ranging from eight to sixty-four repeats (gwiazda) or designs created on one fold (leluja). Łowicz-style wycinaki are distinguished by the technique of using a basic design, which is later embellished with overlaid cutouts of multi-colored paper. In addition to gwiazda that feature roosters and flower designs, these include floral designs that are symmetrical across a center vertical line (kodra). Other papercuts in this collection include such Polish folk art motifs as the Tatra mountains, mountain dancers, weddings, and the Madonna. In addition to traditional Polish papercuts, the collection includes Magdalena Nowacka-Jannotta's cut-paper works influenced by Southwest and Native American art with images of stylized lizards, snakes, thunderbirds, desert animals, kachinas, and Navajo motifs.