Instytut Matki i Dziecka (Institute of Mother and Child) is a Polish research and medical institution in Warsaw focused on maternal, child and adolescent healthcare. Its visual identity dates to 1980, when the institute adopted a logotype designed by Karol Śliwka, one of Poland’s most prolific graphic designers of the 20th century.
Design and History
The Instytut Matki i Dziecka logotype was created in 1980 by Karol Śliwka, a Polish graphic designer and poster artist who produced more than 400 marks for Polish institutions and brands over a six-decade career.[1] Śliwka worked by hand with pencil, ruler and compass, without computer assistance, a method that shaped the precise, geometric character of his marks.[2] The institute’s logotype is frequently cited among his best-known works, alongside the PKO Bank Polski piggy-bank symbol, the WSiP educational publisher mark and the National Library of Poland emblem.[3]
Polish media and design publications have described the Instytut Matki i Dziecka logo as a mark “present from the first days of life” for many Poles, reflecting how deeply the symbol entered everyday visual culture.[1] The logotype has remained in continuous use since its creation and is still associated with the institute’s public identity.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Instytut Matki i Dziecka’s own foundation has described the logotype’s subject matter: the mark depicts a mother and child inscribed within the shape of a heart.[5] This direct visual reference to the institute’s core mission of maternal and child care is the documented meaning of the symbol. The heart form and the mother-and-child motif together convey the protective and caring focus of the institution.
Typography and Design
Śliwka’s design approach was characterized by simple, economical and highly legible marks, created manually with drafting tools rather than computer software.[2] The Instytut Matki i Dziecka logotype follows this geometric, hand-drawn construction style typical of his output from the period. No specific typeface or color specifications for the mark have been documented in available sources.
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