Objects

The photograph was taken in the village of Donosy (Kazimierza Wielka county) in 1903 by the owner of the local estate, Władysław Postawka, an amateur photographer. Postawka captured the life of his own family, manors, and estates in Świętokrzyskie, as well as the surrounding landscapes and architecture. However, above all, he captured the residents of villages and nearby towns belonging to the family.

The photograph depicts a portrait of a poor Jewish organ grinder posing with his instrument. The middle-aged man has a beard and a cap with a brim, dressed in worn-out, tattered clothing – a dark coat and striped trousers tucked into high boots. In his left hand, he is holding a handle of the barrel organ. The instrument itself, standing on crossed wooden legs, is covered with a patterned fabric with floral motifs. On the instrument, there is a wooden cage for rodents with visible straw inside through the partially open door. On the cage, there is a domestic cavy (formerly known as a domestic guinea pig). In the background, behind the standing man, there is a wooden fence (picket fence) and single leafless trees.