Tadeusz Cieślewski son, Mydlarnia in Kielce, 1941

Woodcut, paper; dimensions: 130 x 90 mm; signed in lead l. d.: T. Cieślewski. Co-occurring notations in the bottom margin.

A beautiful woodcut by an outstanding Polish graphic artist. Sheet: 17.5 x 13 cm.

He was a student of Wladyslaw Skoczylas, the creator of modern Polish woodcut. However, he practiced not only woodcut, but also linocut, etching, besides painting and writing about art. In this way, in a way, he cultivated a family tradition, since his father was also a painter. Thus, to distinguish his artistic and literary works he signed his name as Tadeusz Cieślewski son. He was an artist, but also a citizen, a patriot. He belonged to the clandestine Polish Combat Organization, then joined the Polish Army, where he earned the rank of second lieutenant, took part in the Polish-Bolshevik war, and in 1922 was awarded the Cross of Valor. During World War II he worked as a waiter, but taught drawing and printmaking in the underground. He was killed during the Warsaw Uprising; a significant number of his works were burned during a studio fire.