Nikifor's Plea
Nikifor (Click on thumbnail to enlarge) Return to Nikifor Collection. Placard Painting 1 Painting 2 Painting 3 Nikifor's Plea for Support	Plea for Support A photograph of a plea for support of Nikifor was included in a brochure prepared for the exhibit "Naive Bilder von Nikifor" that took place at the Zimmergalerie in Düsseldorf (Oberbilker Allee 27, Elke Zimmer, proprietor) August 22-September 15, 1972. This document may have been a placard that Nikifor put on display for tourists in the hope of getting a handout. The writing is in a neat cursive hand, and may represent dictation taken by a kindly passer-by. Embedded within it is a portrait of the artist as a bishop, labeled "NIKIFOR MALARZ" [Painter Nikifor]. The text in the lower portion has been marked with one of the circular stamps that the artist used on many of his works, asserting "NIKIFOR MATEIKO". Also, at the top of the document and under the portrait are the characteristic, apparently meaningless strings of capital letters found on most Nikifor paintings. The German Translation Provided in the Exhibit Brochure "Ich bitte mir zu helfen, mir armen Waise, die keine Schuhe und keinen Anzug hat. Meine Schuhe sind ganz zerrissen. Ich habe nichts zum Anziehen; ich bitte die geschätzten Herrschaften herzlich, wer nur kann, mir zu helfen, dem wird der Herrgott das hundertmal vergüten; und für einen Armen braucht man nichts bereuen, denn er stiehit nich, er is sehr friedlisch und beschäftigt sich nur mit Malen. Aber davon kann er nicht leben. Es muß ihm jemand helfen. Er hat nichts zu essen; schwarzes Brot kann er nicht essen, nur weißes Brot und weiches und etwas Gekochtes. Jetzt bitte ich die geschätzten Herrschaften, ich habe kein Geld für Farbe. Ein Pfund Farbe kostet 5 Zloty. Manchmal vergeht mir ein ganzen Tag und nichts zu essen. Niemand gibt etwas — und wofür etwas kaufen. Ich bitte das geschätzte Publikum noch einmal, mich nicht zu vergessen, denn bei mir is große Not, ich habe von keiner Seite Hilfe. Gott wird es jedem vergelten, der an mich denkt. Für das Betrachten der Bilder bitte bezahlen." English Translation of the German [Obiter: This has kindly been translated from the possibly faulty German translation to English by Tamara Poniatowska. It would be appreciatred if a visitor would shed light on the original language and confirm the translation.] "I beg you to help me, a poor orphan, who has no shoes and no suit. My shoes are all torn up. I have nothing to wear; I beg the esteemed public, whoever can, to help me, for which the Lord God will repay him a hundred times; and they will not regret doing this for a poor man because he doesn't steal, he is peace-loving and occupied only with painting. But he cannot live by it. Someone has to help him. He has nothing to eat; he can't eat black bread, only white bread and soft cooked stuff. Now I beg the esteemed public, I have no money for colours. A pound of paint costs 5 zlotys. Sometimes I go a whole day with nothing to eat. No one gives anything — and why buy anything. Once again I beg the esteemed public not to forget me, because I am in dire need, I have no help from anywhere. God will repay everyone who thinks of me. "Please pay for the contemplation of the pictures."

Nikifor's Plea

Nikifor

(Click on thumbnail to enlarge)

Return to Nikifor Collection.

Placard

Painting 1

Painting 2

Painting 3
Nikifor's Plea for Support

Plea for Support

A photograph of a plea for support of Nikifor was included in a brochure prepared for the exhibit "Naive Bilder von Nikifor" that took place at the Zimmergalerie in Düsseldorf (Oberbilker Allee 27, Elke Zimmer, proprietor) August 22-September 15, 1972. This document may have been a placard that Nikifor put on display for tourists in the hope of getting a handout. The writing is in a neat cursive hand, and may represent dictation taken by a kindly passer-by. Embedded within it is a portrait of the artist as a bishop, labeled "NIKIFOR MALARZ" [Painter Nikifor]. The text in the lower portion has been marked with one of the circular stamps that the artist used on many of his works, asserting "NIKIFOR MATEIKO". Also, at the top of the document and under the portrait are the characteristic, apparently meaningless strings of capital letters found on most Nikifor paintings.

The German Translation Provided in the Exhibit Brochure

"Ich bitte mir zu helfen, mir armen Waise, die keine Schuhe und keinen Anzug hat. Meine Schuhe sind ganz zerrissen. Ich habe nichts zum Anziehen; ich bitte die geschätzten Herrschaften herzlich, wer nur kann, mir zu helfen, dem wird der Herrgott das hundertmal vergüten; und für einen Armen braucht man nichts bereuen, denn er stiehit nich, er is sehr friedlisch und beschäftigt sich nur mit Malen. Aber davon kann er nicht leben. Es muß ihm jemand helfen. Er hat nichts zu essen; schwarzes Brot kann er nicht essen, nur weißes Brot und weiches und etwas Gekochtes. Jetzt bitte ich die geschätzten Herrschaften, ich habe kein Geld für Farbe. Ein Pfund Farbe kostet 5 Zloty. Manchmal vergeht mir ein ganzen Tag und nichts zu essen. Niemand gibt etwas — und wofür etwas kaufen. Ich bitte das geschätzte Publikum noch einmal, mich nicht zu vergessen, denn bei mir is große Not, ich habe von keiner Seite Hilfe. Gott wird es jedem vergelten, der an mich denkt.

Für das Betrachten der Bilder bitte bezahlen."

English Translation of the German

[Obiter: This has kindly been translated from the possibly faulty German translation to English by Tamara Poniatowska. It would be appreciatred if a visitor would shed light on the original language and confirm the translation.]

"I beg you to help me, a poor orphan, who has no shoes and no suit. My shoes are all torn up. I have nothing to wear; I beg the esteemed public, whoever can, to help me, for which the Lord God will repay him a hundred times; and they will not regret doing this for a poor man because he doesn't steal, he is peace-loving and occupied only with painting. But he cannot live by it. Someone has to help him. He has nothing to eat; he can't eat black bread, only white bread and soft cooked stuff. Now I beg the esteemed public, I have no money for colours. A pound of paint costs 5 zlotys. Sometimes I go a whole day with nothing to eat. No one gives anything — and why buy anything. Once again I beg the esteemed public not to forget me, because I am in dire need, I have no help from anywhere. God will repay everyone who thinks of me.

"Please pay for the contemplation of the pictures."