Wlastimil HOFMAN, Franciszek Wysocki in the role of Stanczyk

oil, canvas, 59 x 54 cm, signed p.g.: VH. The first Stańczyk in the Kraków premiere of Wyspiański's Wedding (March 16, 1901) was Kazimierz Kaminski, and he initially played this role directed by L. Solski at the Municipal Theater in Lvov (premiered on May 24, 1901), only to be soon replaced there permanently, until the end of World War I, by Franciszek Wysocki (owner of Geldflesch or Geldfelsch, 1855-1939 or 1941).

Beginning in 1896, he studied at the School of Fine Arts in Krakow, newly reformed by Fałat, under J. Stanislawski, L. Wyczółkowski and J. Malczewski. He continued his studies at the Paris École des Beaux-Arts under J.L. Gérôme in 1899-1901. He was a founder of the Group of Five (1905) and the Group of Zero (1908), a member of the Vienna Secession (1907, as the first Pole), the Association of Czech Artists "Manes" and the Society of Polish Artists "Sztuka". He remained heavily influenced by his Krakow masters. He painted genre scenes, portraits and landscapes, but is best known for his fantastic-symbolic compositions with folk motifs.