Wojciech Kossak

An art visionary. A painter. A graduate of the Art Schools in Cracow and Munich. He is an author of such works as: ‘Olszynka Grochowska’, ‘Attack of 5th Zamojscy Uhlans Regiment’, ‘Uhlan’s rest’.

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Wojciech Kossak, a co-originator of ‘Racławice Panorama’, was born in Paris on New Year’s Eve 1856.

Wojciech received his second name after his godfather Horacy Vernet, the author of ‘Prince Józef Poniatowski’s death’ and ‘Battle near Somosierra’, and maybe, this fact bore on his love of painting and Paris although his life had been connected with Cracow for ever.

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And this was a place where Wojciech Kossak’s painting began. Here, the society starved for historical paintings, glorification of the former Polish Army to support the independence spirit.

“Like his father, he was a painter of battle-scenes, an author of panoramas and compositions of large format that depicted war episodes not only from Polish history but also from French or German while avoiding glorification of armies, especially of Prussian invader, and at the same time – Polish defeats. He has painted many portraits, most often representational images of European society or aristocracy. He had his portrait painted willingly but he did not seek knowledge about himself or his personality features while studying his face. Most often, he treated a self-portrait as an opportunity to took worthily.”

Wojciech Kossak used to paint every day from his early youth, first in the custody of his father in Cracow and then during many years’ education at Munich Academy and Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. For a young, ambitious painter from Poland, it was not easy to come into being in Paris. (…)

You can find the whole article and other sources at Polish Digital Equestrian Library (click)

Author: Iwona Strzelewicz-Ziemiańska