The Role of Anna Gramatyka-Ostrowska in the Development of Polish Book Design

Abstract

This article seeks to restore the memory of the forgotten illustrator and book designer Anna Gramatyka-Ostrowska (1882–1958), one of the first women to be actively engaged in the field of publishing graphics in Poland. It outlines the conditions of the book and illustration market at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and presents the artist’s educational and professional background, situating her work within a broader context of social and artistic transformation.

The article also discusses the key locations of Ostrowska’s professional activity, her collaborations with authors of children’s literature (including Maria Dynowska and Zofia Rogoszówna), and her relationships with leading publishing houses of the time. Particular attention is given to an analysis of her illustrative output — more than 23 books she illustrated are examined, with emphasis on her preferred graphic techniques as well as the scale and character of her artistic practice.