Washerwomen

The sculpture "Praczki" (The Washerwomen) by Stanisław Horno-Popławski is a historic monument located in Planty Park in Białystok, near Mickiewicza Street. The artwork depicts three kneeling women engaged in washing clothes, referencing traditional women's work, with one of the figures exposing a bare left breast. The sculpture was created in 1938 in Toruń, commissioned by the then provincial governor of Białystok. In 1945, it was placed by a pond measuring 10.2 by 30.5 meters with a depth of about 1 meter in Planty Park. Over the years, "Praczki" underwent several renovations, including in 1978 and 2003, following acts of vandalism that damaged the figure, which was subsequently repaired. In 1992, the sculpture was entered into the register of the Provincial Conservator of Monuments. "Praczki" is a unique work by Horno-Popławski in Białystok, being the artist's only non-sacred sculpture in the city. An interesting fact is that a full-scale replica of the sculpture exists and is displayed in one of Gdańsk's museums, highlighting the cultural and artistic significance of this work in the region. The monument not only represents artistic values but also reflects the historical realities of everyday life in Poland before World War II.