Wandalin Strzałecki (1855, Warsaw – 1917, Warsaw), Gerwazy the Keykeeper, 1882

oil on cardboard
Dimensions: 28 x 22 cm
Inscribed and dated on the reverse: 'MONACHIUM 1882'
Inscribed on the reverse: 'Wandalin Strzałecki Munich |>Gerwazy the Keykeeper<| from Pan Tadeusz<' and a partially preserved label with the inscription: 'WANDALIN STRZAŁECKI | Munich 188[...] | "Kiper"'<br><br><p><strong>Biography</strong><br>He came from a well-known family of Warsaw artists—his father and two brothers were painters. He initially studied under Wojciech Gerson at the Warsaw Drawing Class, then at the academies in St. Petersburg (until 1879) and the Munich Academy (from 1880 to 1882). Together with his brother Jan Michał, he created polychromes and paintings for the Chapel of Our Lady at Jasna Góra, as well as for churches in Krasne and Przesmyki. A severe mental illness forced him out of active life—from 1885 until his death, he resided at the St. John of God Institution in Warsaw. He painted portraits, genre scenes, and historical scenes, often based on literary motifs. He produced copies of works by famous masters, engaged in conservation work, and was also active as a writer.</p>