Stanisław Baj (born in 1953 in Dołhobrody) is one of the most prominent contemporary Polish painters and a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts n Warsaw. His work is inextricably linked to the Bug River and his native Podlasie region.
The central motif of his work is the river, which he has painted for decades, creating hundreds of canvases depicting the same stretch of water at different times of day and year. These works have evolved from realistic landscapes toward almost total abstraction. Baj does not portray the river merely as a scenic element, but as a metaphysical entity—a play of light, darkness, and depth. His style is characterized by a thick paint texture and a masterful command of chiaroscuro.