W. Kossak - Memoirs. 1913. with dedication by the author.

KOSSAK Wojciech - Memoirs. With 92 illustracies in the text and 8 in color on separate pages. Kraków 1913; Nakł. G. Gebethner & Co. 4, pp. [14], 348, plates 12 (including 8 in color). Bound in period fl., trimming decayed.
Maliszewski 3653.Binding slightly dusty, otherwise very good condition. Handwritten dedication by the author: "to the Kossaks' friend Miss Mary Kozak Wojciech Kossak". "'Memoirs' by Kossak appeared in print in Krakow in 1912 (and a second edition in 1913), in luxurious graphic design, with illustrations specially selected and executed by the author, eliciting many favorable reviews and comments [...]. 'Memoirs' [...] bring relatively little information about 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 'Memoirs' is the description of the then newly discovered Zakopane, expeditions to the Tatra Mountains led by T. Chałubiński, climbing the 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 convey observations" (from K. Olszanski's preface to "Memoirs" (War. 1971, pp. 33-37)).