Little Hanna “Hania” Szczepkowska (Mickiewicz)

is a portrait of 5-year-old Hanna Szczepkowska, the daughter of Jan Szczepkowski. The bronze bust depicts a girl gazing forward, her forehead covered with a fringe. At the back of the casting there is an inscription “Haneczka 1920, Jan Szczepkowski”.

Hanna Szczepkowska was born in Cracow on 24 May 1915. According to a book “Z lotu ptaka” written by Maria Morozowicz-Szczepkowska, the girl’s delivery was very long and complicated (the umbilical cord wrapped the baby three times around her neck). Also, the mother suffered a life-threatening haemorrhage, which was noticed and stopped in time by the delivering doctor. The father – Jan Szczepkowski – was present during the procedure.

The exhibit belongs to the collection of the Maria and Jan Szczepkowski Foundation.