Poland. Góry Polskie w fotografii artystycznej by Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz.

 Warsaw, 1973. [224 aesthetically pleasing images, mostly landscapes, in black and white]. Good+ hardcover with dust jacket chipped on back.  Summary:

Góry Polskie w fotografii artystycznej (The Polish Mountains in Artistic Photography), published in 1973 by Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe (WAiF), is a landmark Polish landscape monograph. The large-format volume combines fine-art photography with literature, featuring a lyrical introductory essay by the celebrated Polish writer, poet, and dramatist Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, alongside graphic design and layout by the prominent poster artist Józef Mroszczak.

Core Content & Visual Framework

1. Chronological and Regional Survey of Polish Ranges

The album functions as a sweeping, comprehensive survey of Poland’s diverse southern highlands. The curated plate sections organize the vast geography into distinct mountain landscapes, tracing the unique geological formations and regional atmospheres of six primary areas: the jagged Tatras, the limestone crags of the Pieniny, the rolling ridges of the Beskids, the wild fields of the Bieszczady, the ancient Holy Cross Mountains (Góry Świętokrzyskie), and the Sudetes.

2. Masterful Monochrome Artistry

The centerpiece of the volume is its collection of 224 high-quality, black-and-white photographs taken by a roster of Poland's most distinguished artists and landscape photographers. Moving away from purely practical or scientific geological records, the images prioritize mood, artistic form, and dramatic light. The compositions highlight high-contrast winter scenes, deep ridge lines obscured by low fog, and textures of mountain flora, defining a distinct post-war mid-century Polish aesthetic in landscape photography.

3. Philosophical Literary Counterpoint

Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz's introductory text provides a vital emotional framework for the visual content. Rather than offering a traditional historical or geographical overview, his essay is a deeply personal, philosophical reflection on the cultural and spiritual role the mountains occupy in Polish literature, collective memory, and identity. This literary framing invites the reader to view the subsequent photographs not merely as documentation of topography, but as sites of romantic reflection and artistic inspiration.

Góry Polskie w fotografii artystycznej is considered one of the most beautiful mid-century publications dedicated to the Polish landscape. By uniting Iwaszkiewicz’s literary depth, Mroszczak’s editorial design, and the technical mastery of leading photographers, the album transcends the typical travelogue format to stand as a significant, high-art defense of nature and a showcase for the golden era of Polish book printing.