The paintings of Polish artist Andrzej Wroblewski fit into the realist art of the 20th century in an incomparable way. His portraits of people are characterized by a somber and cool color palette. The political mood in Poland after World War II had a significant influence on the artist’s oeuvre. Throughout his life, Wroblewski moved on the fringes of society; contemporaries described him as a painter of a tragic generation. This publication explores how his work was contextualized in exhibitions and how his themes were interpreted. How is a myth created around an artistic personality whose oeuvre is so closely intertwined with his tragic biography?