Stanislaw Przespolewski
Encyclopedia
Stanisław Kajetan Przespolewski (1910–1989) was a Polish painter. Originally based in Poland
, he moved to Scotland
during the Second World War, and later worked in England
and The Netherlands. He became known for his large series of pencil portraits of Polish soldiers in the Second World War. Three of these portraits are kept at the Amsterdam Rijksmuseum.
, where his teachers included Stefan Filipkiewicz
(1931) and Władysław Jarocki (1932). He went on to study at the Kunstgewerbeschule at Vienna
, the art school that rejected Adolf Hitler 20 years earlier, and also in Paris
and in Poznan
, Poland.
in Biggar, Scotland
.
In Scotland, he met Józef Sękalski
and Roberta Hodges in St Andrews
, Fife. At her studio in the attic of The Bell Rock House, he painted a number of portraits, nudes, still lives and landscapes. From 1944 onwards he was one of the Polish combatants in the 1st Polish Armoured Division and advanced from Normandy
to Wilhelmshaven
in May 1945.
Three drawings of Polish soldiers in exile in Britain in 1943.
, in the southern province of Noord-Brabant in The Netherlands. Here he had his own studio where he painted, made various designs for theatre décors and produced pottery. This was also the place where he taught art to small groups of pupils.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, he moved to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
during the Second World War, and later worked in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and The Netherlands. He became known for his large series of pencil portraits of Polish soldiers in the Second World War. Three of these portraits are kept at the Amsterdam Rijksmuseum.
Education
Before the Second World War, Przespolewski had his art education at the Academy of Fine Arts in KrakówKraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, where his teachers included Stefan Filipkiewicz
Stefan Filipkiewicz
Stefan Filipkiewicz was a Polish painter and designer, notable for his landscapes inspired by the Young Poland movement...
(1931) and Władysław Jarocki (1932). He went on to study at the Kunstgewerbeschule at Vienna
University of Applied Arts Vienna
The University of Applied Arts Vienna is an institution of higher education in Vienna, the capital of Austria. It has had university status since 1970.-History:...
, the art school that rejected Adolf Hitler 20 years earlier, and also in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and in Poznan
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, Poland.
World War II
After leaving Poland in 1939 and a short period in France in 1940, Przespolewski moved to the United Kingdom, where he was stationed for some time with the Polish Armed Forces in the WestPolish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies...
in Biggar, Scotland
Biggar, South Lanarkshire
Biggar is a town and former burgh in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is situated in the Southern Uplands, near the River Clyde, around 30 miles from Edinburgh along the A702. The closest towns are Lanark and Peebles, and as such Biggar serves a wide rural area...
.
In Scotland, he met Józef Sękalski
Józef Sękalski
Józef Sękalski , also known as Josef Sekalski and Juozapas Senkalskis, was a Polish painter, printer, etcher and illustrator who lived and worked in Scotland.-Biography :...
and Roberta Hodges in St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
, Fife. At her studio in the attic of The Bell Rock House, he painted a number of portraits, nudes, still lives and landscapes. From 1944 onwards he was one of the Polish combatants in the 1st Polish Armoured Division and advanced from Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
to Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
in May 1945.
Three drawings of Polish soldiers in exile in Britain in 1943.
After the war
In 1949 he married the Belgian-Dutch artist Jeanne Prisse (1921-2008). They moved to Salford (near Manchester, England) where he had a number of odd jobs and appointments as designer for the ceramic industries. Later they moved to UlvenhoutUlvenhout
Ulvenhout is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Breda. The part south of the A58 motorway came to the municipality of Alphen-Chaam and is called Ulvenhout AC...
, in the southern province of Noord-Brabant in The Netherlands. Here he had his own studio where he painted, made various designs for theatre décors and produced pottery. This was also the place where he taught art to small groups of pupils.