[ILLUSTRATOR'S AUTOGRAPH/EX LIBRIS] Book autographed by the illustrator, Maja (Maria) Berezowska (Baranovichi 1898–1978 Warsaw) & Bookplate by Andrzej Czernik—Antonina Jelicz, “Various Occurrences of This World: A Selection of Satirical Works by Mikoł

Mikołaj Rej (February 4, 1505, Żurawno – fall 1569, Rejowiec), “Various Events of This World. A Selection of Satirical Works by Mikołaj Rej,” illustrated book, Maja Berezowska, autograph of Maja Berezowska, satirical illustrations, ownership stamp of Andrzej Czernik with the monogram “AC,” Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, Warsaw, letterpress printing and reproductions of drawings on paper, cloth binding, mid-20th century
A selection of satirical works by Mikołaj Rej, published by the State Publishing Institute and illustrated by Maja Berezowska. This piece contains the artist’s handwritten autograph, “Maja Berezowska,” in blue writing ink on the title page. Below is a purple ownership stamp with the monogram “AC,” belonging to Andrzej Czernik, the original owner of the book collection.
The volume has an elongated, rectangular format. The binding consists of light beige canvas with a distinct, fine weave. On the front cover, the multi-line title is centered and printed in capital letters in a brick-orange color. Below, in smaller gray italics, is a description of the contents, and Mikołaj Rej’s name is again highlighted in orange uppercase letters. The composition is framed by thin black lines and the name of the State Publishing Institute. The surface of the cloth features small, scattered stains and signs of natural aging.
The opening spread of the book juxtaposes a colored portrait of Mikołaj Rej with a typographic title page. The writer is depicted in a frontal view, seated in a Renaissance architectural interior, wearing a red robe, a fur cloak, and a beret. He is surrounded by columns, entablatures, stacks of books, and cartouches with inscriptions referring to his works. The drawing is constructed with bold black outlines and parallel hatching, complemented by flat areas of red, blue, green, and shades of yellow. Below the illustration is the stylized inscription “I, Mikołay Rey of Nagłowice.”
On the adjacent page, the title is printed in large, orange capital letters. At the bottom of the page is Maja Berezowska’s autograph, written in blue ink. Below that is a purple, round stamp bearing the monogram “AC.” The stamp serves as a mark of ownership by Andrzej Czernik and is tangible evidence of the piece’s provenance.
The interior features text set within wide margins and full-page illustrations. On the spread shown here, the left-hand page contains a printed satirical piece, while the right-hand page is occupied by a black-and-white figurative scene. In a vaulted interior, beneath a wide semicircular arch, a seated figure is surrounded by three people leaning toward her from different sides. The faces are exaggerated, the gestures are dramatic, and the folds of the clothing and areas of shadow are rendered with dense, rhythmic hatching. At the bottom of the illustration is a reproduced signature, “M. Berezowska,” and the date “53,” most likely referring to the creation of the illustration in 1953.
Berezowska’s style is based on fluid, flexible contours, skillful distortion of facial features, and theatrical composition of the figures. The artist brings out situational comedy through close-ups of faces, exaggerated gestures, and the contrast between monumental architecture and caricatured characters. Her drawings are not merely a decorative addition to the text but a visual commentary on Rej’s satire. Renaissance costumes, architecture, and props have been adapted to a modern, twentieth-century illustrative style. As a result, these historical works retain their clarity, lightness, and the timeliness of their social observations.
The book exemplifies the postwar practice of reissuing classics of Polish literature in a carefully designed, illustrated editorial format. The juxtaposition of Rej’s texts with Berezowska’s works brings together two types of satire: Renaissance-style criticism of social and moral vices, and modern caricature, based on psychological shorthand and expressive gestures. The illustrator’s autograph enhances the individual character of the piece, while Andrzej Czernik’s stamp documents its presence in a specific private library.
Mikołaj Rej, born on February 4, 1505, in Żurawno, and died in the fall of 1569 in Rejowiec, was a poet, prose writer, playwright, translator, religious polemicist, and one of the most important figures of the Polish Renaissance. As one of the first authors to consistently use the Polish language in his extensive literary output, he is sometimes referred to as the father of Polish literature. His works combined didacticism, moralism, observations of everyday life, and sharp social satire.
Maja Berezowska, whose real name was Maria Berezowska, was born in Baranovichi—in 1893 according to some sources, in 1898 according to others—and died on May 31, 1978, in Warsaw. She was a draftswoman, illustrator, caricaturist, and set designer, particularly valued for her subtle yet bold social satire. Her work is recognizable for its freehand contours, keen sense of observation, lightness of composition, and characteristic distortion of figures. She worked in Poland and France; during the German occupation, she was arrested and imprisoned in the Ravensbrück concentration camp. After the war, she continued her work as an illustrator and designer.
Andrzej Czernik was the owner of the book collection to which this piece belonged.