Franciszek KOSTRZEWSKI (1826-1911), Kolodziej, 1893

Woodcut, paper; 31 x 24 cm (clear passe-partout);
signed p. d. "F.KOSTRZEWSKI 869" and by the xylographer l. d. "MACHOWSKI"; from the portfolio "Album of Fr. Kostrzewski" published by S. Leventhal, 1893.
Franciszek Kostrzewski - realist painter, creator of genre scenes, illustrator, satirical cartoonist, caricaturist. He was the son of the steward of one of the noble palaces in Warsaw.
After the November Uprising, the family moved to a country estate in Sandomierskie Province, while Franciszek returned to Warsaw to continue his education. However, after completing five grades of gymnasium, he lost interest in science; from an early age he was passionate about drawing and the study of nature above all else. His plans for art were opposed by his father, but in 1844, the 18-year-old Kostrzewski enrolled in the new School of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He studied under Jan Feliks Piwarski, Chrystian Breslauer and Alexander Kokular, among others. During his studies he traveled around the country painting landscapes and genre scenes documenting the life of small towns of the time.
In 1856 he stayed in Paris for several months. After returning to Poland in 1856, he began his illustration activities. His illustrations appeared in Warsaw magazines; he also made illustrations for books.
Franciszek Kostrzewski is considered a forerunner of the Polish comic strip. In 1859 he made drawings for "Historya Jedynaczka w 32 obrazkach", the first episode of which appeared in the third issue of "Tygodnik Ilustrowany" dated October 3, 1859.
Edward Machowski - Warsaw wood engraver, active in 1869-1874