Franciszek KOSTRZEWSKI (1826-1911), New neighbor, 1893

woodcut, paper, 17 x 24.5 cm (light frame); signed on plate p. d. "FKOSTRZ".

From the portfolio Album of Fr. Kostrzewski, published by S. Leventhal in 1893.

Franciszek Kostrzewski was a Polish realist and genre painter, illustrator, satirical cartoonist and caricaturist. In 1844,18-year-old Kostrzewski enrolled in the new School of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He studied under the direction of Jan Feliks Piwarski, 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 spent several months in Paris.Upon his return to Poland in 1856, he began his activity as an illustrator. His illustrations appeared in Warsaw magazines and he also illustrated books. Franciszek Kostrzewski is the author of one of the oldest Polish cartoons. It was "Historya Jedynaczka w 32 obrazkach", the first episode of which appeared in the third issue of "Tygodnik Ilustrowany" dated 3.X.1859. Kostrzewski is considered a forerunner of Polish comics.

Jan Krajewski (born before 1874, died after 1890) - Warsaw wood engraver. Active between 1874 and 1890, he engraved for "Kłosy" until 1879, then worked for "Tygodnik Ilustrowany" and "Biesiada Literacka". His woodcuts were distinguished by their high artistic and technical level. He engraved woodcuts from drawings: Feliks Brzozowski, Jozef Ejsmond, Jan Konopacki Wojciech Kossak, Edmund Perle; according to drawings by Michal Andriolli he made: Two Worlds and A Family in Misery, by Franciszek Kostrzewski: Diary Readers and New Neighbor, Wojciech Grabowski: Announcement of a gala day in the town, A Cursory Advisor, A Jewish Funeral and At the Well.