Jan Cavanaugh's innovative study locates Polish artists at the core of one of the primary turn-of-the-century modernist movements, the Central European Secession. Ten of the original fifty members of the Vienna Secession were Poles; they and other Polish artists participated actively in secessionist exhibitions while also forming their own group, which exhibited throughout Europe. At the same time, many of these artists were deeply involved in the struggle for their country's independence.

The Secession created an international forum to raise the standards of art and welcomed artists excluded from the salons because of their commitment to modernism. While modernism had a strong pan-European flavor, each country contributed a distinctive strain derived from its individual culture. Cavanaugh argues that after 1890 Polish artists gained new inspiration from progressive international trends, embracing modernism while seeking to sustain their own artistic and cultural autonomy. Despite its marginal status, Polish modernism, she says, was one of the strongest national movements to evolve outside the major centers of European art.

Out Looking In is the first comprehensive study in English of this significant period in Polish art. In addressing issues of national identity and consciousness, Cavanaugh essentially revises our understanding of European modernism and expertly demonstrates art history's role in reflecting broad cultural changes.