Self-portrait.

This 1902 self-portrait on cardboard is the second of two self-portrait studies on this support held in the National Museum in Warsaw, paired with the 1899 example. Separated by three years, the two works allow viewers to observe how Wyczółkowski's self-perception and painterly approach evolved across the turn of the century, a period when Young Poland aesthetics were transforming Kraków's art scene. By 1902, his palette had shifted toward greater decorative intensity, influenced by Art Nouveau currents and his increasing engagement with printmaking. The choice of cardboard again suggests informal, experimental intent — a self-critical examination rather than a formal presentation of professional identity. Together, the two cardboard self-portraits constitute an intimate record of the artist's inner life across a pivotal artistic period.

The cardboard support encourages a direct, spontaneous approach with minimal reworking. By 1902, Wyczółkowski's marks are likely more assured and more influenced by the flatter, more decorative tendencies he was absorbing from Art Nouveau and Symbolist sources.