KOSSAK Wojciech - Memoirs. With 92 illustracies in the text and 8 in color on separate pages. Warsaw 1913, Gebethner and Wolff. 4, pp. [14], 348, plates 12. oryg. fawn binding, upper stained trim.
Publisher's original binding,not repaired - stand very good with minor soiling.Ownership signature on pre-title page.
A very nice piece.
"Kossak's `Memories' appeared in print in Cracow [...] in luxurious layout, with illustrations specially selected and executed by the author, eliciting many favorable reviews and comments [...]. The `Memories' [...] bring relatively little information regarding Kossak's painting work. They do, however, give us an idea, for example, of the enormity of the preparatory work he had to undertake as a painter of panoramas. Thorough studies of the literature concerning either the Battle of Raclawice [...] or the battles of Somosierra [...] were supplemented by trips to the sites of these battles [...]. Extremely vivid in `Memories' is the description of the then newly discovered Zakopane, expeditions to the Tatra Mountains led by T. Chałubiński, climbing peaks, evenings by bonfires and highland dances - one of the first and more accurate in our literature [...]. However, the artist was most strongly influenced by his stay in Vienna and Berlin [...]. Descriptions of glittering parties and balls, uniforms dripping with gold, exquisite toilets, as well as galloping horses, packs of dogs and the sound of military and hunting trumpets - interspersed with anecdotes, characterizations of customs and court etiquette - testified to the artist's ability to observe, observe and transmit observations" (from K. Olszanski's preface to "Memoirs" (War. 1971, pp. 33-37)).