Wojciech Horacy Kossak (31 December 1856 – 29 July 1942) was a noted Polish

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

and member of the celebrated

Kossak Kossak is the surname of 4 generations of notable Polish painters, writers and poets, descending from the historical painter Juliusz Kossak. Notable people with this surname include: * Progenitor, Juliusz Kossak (1824–99), Polish painter from the ...

family of artists and writers. He was the son of painter

Juliusz Kossak Juliusz Fortunat Kossak ( Nowy Wiśnicz, 15 December 1824 – 3 February 1899, Kraków) was an Austrian Polish historical painter and master illustrator who specialized in battle scenes, military portraits and horses. He was the progenitor of a ...

, and twin brother of freedom fighter

Tadeusz Kossak Tadeusz Kossak (1 January 1857 in Paris – 3 July 1935 in Górki Wielkie), was born into a noted Polish family of artists and writers. He was an officer in the Polish Army, a freedom fighter, and owner of a country estate in Górki Wielkie tha ...

, and the father of two highly talented literary daughters,

Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska, ''née'' Kossak (24 November 1891 – 9 July 1945), was a prolific Polish poet known as the ''Polish Sappho'' and "queen of lyrical poetry" during Poland's interwar period.

and

Magdalena Samozwaniec Magdalena Samozwaniec née Kossak ( Krakow, 26 July 1894 – 20 October 1972, Warsaw) was a Polish writer. The Kossak family is known for many artists including her father Wojciech Kossak, her brother Jerzy and sister Maria Maria may refer to: ...

and of a painter son,

Jerzy Kossak Jerzy Maciej Kossak (Kraków, 11 September 1886 – 11 May 1955, Kraków) was a Polish realist painter specializing in military scenes. He was the son of painter Wojciech Kossak and grandson of painter Juliusz Kossak, a third-generation artist fro ...

Life

Wojciech Horacy Kossak was born in Paris on New Year's Eve of 1856 just before midnight, while his twin brother, Tadeusz Kossak, just after, on 1 January 1857. The family eventually left France. His middle name was in honour of his godfather, French painter Horace Vernet. Kossak began his education upon his family's return to Poland. He attended the

Three Crosses Square Three Crosses Square ( pl, Plac Trzech Krzyży, , also "Square of Three Crosses", "Three Cross Square", and "Triple Cross Square") is an important square in the central district of Warsaw, Poland. It lies on that city's Royal Route and links ...

Gymnasium in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officiall ...

and later the Gimnazjum św. Anny in

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...

. He simultaneously studied painting with his father Juliusz. Between 1871–1873, Wojciech studied at the Kraków School of Drawing and Painting (later School of Fine Arts) - under Władysław Łuszczkiewicz, followed by a stint until 1875 at the

Munich Academy of Fine Arts The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich (german: Akademie der Bildenden Künste München, also known as Munich Academy) is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany. It is located in the Maxvorstadt district of Munich, in Bavaria ...

, with professors Alexander Strähuber and Alexander Wagner.

Last years

Kossak was a very hard-working and prolific painter. It is impossible to mention all of his paintings, and he painted until the end of his life and made plans for new ventures until the last moments. Paintings from this period include: Poland’s Marriage to the Sea, Portrait of Edward Krasiński, Fantasy on the Theme of Polish Cavalry, Guarding the Polish Sea, Portrait of Cardinal Hlond, Portrait of General Kazimierz Sosnkowski. His work was also part of the painting event in the art competition at the

1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad ( nl, Spelen van de IXe Olympiade) and commonly known as Amsterdam 1928, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated fro ...

. Kossak spent the summer of 1939 in Jurata, from where he returned to Kraków at the end of August, where he witnessed the German invasion. The September defeat was a shock for Kossak, but he still believed in the Polish soldier. He wrote to a friend: "With the moment of our defeats and the disgrace of this poor Rydz, who was so immature in his role, I lost my heart not knowing that what was my beloved subject, not only has not ceased to be the most popular, but today the most expensive sursum corda has happened". He did not stop painting during the occupation. Portraits and genre scenes were created, such as weddings or hunting, but also sketches for the panorama of Grochów. He refused to work for the Germans. He refused, among others, to paint a portrait of

Hans Frank Hans Michael Frank (23 May 1900 – 16 October 1946) was a German politician and lawyer who served as head of the General Government in Nazi-occupied Poland during the Second World War. Frank was an early member of the German Workers' Par ...

, claiming old age, despite the fact that his studio, where he talked to the German officer, was full of paintings, both works in progress and completed. Among his final works are Portrait of Zofia Jachimecka, Equestrian Portrait of Tadeusz Chutkowski, Stefan Skrzyński, Tatar Bondage, Kirasjer and a Girl and Farys. On the day of his death – July 29, 1942 – he asked that paint be put on the palette, but he could not get up. He did not realize that death was coming. In the evening, remaining conscious until the last moment, he died surrounded by family.

Work

Wojciech Kossak's historical painting was different in style from that of his predecessor

Jan Matejko Jan Alojzy Matejko (; also known as Jan Mateyko; 24 June 1838 – 1 November 1893) was a Polish painter, a leading 19th-century exponent of history painting, known for depicting nodal events from Polish history. His works include large scale ...

. He belonged to a new generation of Polish battle-scene artists influenced by the work of his father Juliusz. However, like Matejko, he is known for depicting the history of Polish armed struggle and notable Polish battles of

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...

and

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whi ...

against foreign oppressors. Among his most famous paintings is '' The Racławice Panorama''.

Notes and references

* Łozińska Hempel, Maria (1986). ''Z łańcucha wspomnień.'' Wydawnictwo Literackie.
Wojciech Kossak's gallery at malarze.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kossak, Wojciech 1857 births 1942 deaths 19th-century Polish painters 19th-century Polish male artists 20th-century Polish painters 20th-century Polish male artists Polish war artists 19th-century war artists Golden Laurel of the Polish Academy of Literature Recipients of the Legion of Honour Burials at Rakowicki Cemetery 19th-century painters of historical subjects Equine artists Olympic competitors in art competitions Polish male painters People from Paris Polish twins

Life

Last years

Work

See also

Notes and references