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Wojciech Kossak was born into an artistic Polish family (Paris, 1856). He is celebrated Polish painter, norable for his Polish historical works, primarily battle scenes. Th Kossak family included both notable artists and writers. His father was Juliusz Kossak. His twin brother was freedom fighter Tadeusz Kossak>he fathered two talented daughters who became authors, Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska and Magdalena Samozwaniec. His son, Jerzy Kossak, also became a painter. Wojciech was born on New Year's Eve 1856, just before midnight, while his twin brother, Tadeusz Kossak, followed a few minuts later, but on New Years Day (1857). The family subsequenbtly returned to Poland, at the time part of the Russian Empire. He began school after the return to Poland. He attended Three Crosses Square middle school in Warsaw. He attended the Gimnazjum św. Anny secondary school in Kraków. While at school, he studied painting with his father Juliusz. After Gymnasium he studied at the School of Drawing and Painting (1871-73). Then he studied at the School of Fine Arts under Władysław Łuszczkiewicz. He completed his studies at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts, with professors Aleksander Strähuber and Alexander Wagner (1874-75). Kossak is best known for his historical painting, many of which were battle paintings depicting Poland's struggles for independence. He captured a realism lacking in earlier battle scene artists, influenced by his father. He did some portraits. Among them was a portrait of Karol Krystall as a boy (1923). It was a far cry from his battle scenes. Even with quite a number of portraits, his body of work is heavily dominated by Polish patriots and horses. In his last years was haeart broken by the German invasion and collapse of the Polish Army. One of his final acts was to refuse to paint the brutal German Governor-General of occupied Poland, Hans Frank.
Wojciech Kossak was born into an artistic Polish family (Paris, 1856). He is celebrated Polish painter, norable for his Polish historical works, primarily battle scenes. Th Kossak family included both notable artists and writers. His father was Juliusz Kossak. His twin brother was freedom fighter Tadeusz Kossak>he fathered two talented daughters who became authors, Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska and Magdalena Samozwaniec. His son, Jerzy Kossak, also became a painter. Wojciech was born on New Year's Eve 1856, just before midnight, while his twin brother, Tadeusz Kossak, followed a few minuts later, but on New Years Day (1857). The family subsequenbtly returned to Poland, at the time part of the Russian Empire. He began school after the return to Poland. He attended Three Crosses Square middle school in Warsaw. He attended the Gimnazjum św. Anny secondary school in Kraków. While at school, he studied painting with his father Juliusz. After Gymnasium he studied at the School of Drawing and Painting (1871-73). Then he studied at the School of Fine Arts under Władysław Łuszczkiewicz. He completed his studies at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts, with professors Aleksander Strähuber and Alexander Wagner (1874-75). Kossak is best known for his historical painting, many of which were battle paintings depicting Poland's struggles for independence. He captured a realism lacking in earlier battle scene artists, influenced by his father. He did some portraits. Among them was a portrait of Karol Krystall as a boy (1923). It was a far cry from his battle scenes. Even with quite a number of portraits, his body of work is heavily dominated by Polish patriots and horses. In his last years was haeart broken by the German invasion and collapse of the Polish Army. One of his final acts was to refuse to paint the brutal German Governor-General of occupied Poland, Hans Frank. He died in Kraków, Just before Grman power began to collapse. (1942).
Wojciech Kossak painted this portrait of Karol Krystall in 1923. We have been unable to find out anything about who Karol was. He may be the son or other relative of Bronislaw Krystall, the noted art historian and collector. Among his collection were works by Kossak which he eventually donated to the National Museum in Warsaw. Karol in the portrait wears wears a burgandy short pants Fauntleroy suit with a lace collars and sleeve ruffs. It is an open lace collar which we see in the 1910s and early-20s. He wears it with a wide sash. He also has white three-quater socks and pumps.
We have found this painting on several internet sites, but unlike the Jrystall no indication of who the child is or when it was painted. The child's name may have been Simon, but we cannot yet confirm that. We might guess the 1910s. It is usually entitled 'Girl with a dog'. We do not think this is what Kossak called it, but named by art historians who just assumed the child is a girl because of the hair and fancy dress. The outfit looks to us like a pink velvet Fauntleroy suit with large white collar and wrist cuffs. We can nor be sure because the way the child is posed we only see a hint of the pants that aboy would have been wearing. He may be a child from a rich family or like Karol Krystall an artistic family.
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