By reaching out for a metaphor derived from the sphere of fi ne arts - "sepia sketch", in her monumental biography of Zofia Nałkowska, Hanna Kirchner encompasses the life of the authoress of Granica within a delicate and unclear framework, though one which is drawn with a bold line. The impossibility of a direct transposition of one's life into a written text, produced a shiny, multi-aspect "multi-portrait". A few dozen chapters make up a fascinating story which though focused on a reconstruction of the authoress’s biogram, it transgresses considerably the task which is traditionally ascribed to biography.