Stanislaw Marian ŻARNECKI (Izydor Goldfinger) (1877 - 1956), Cloisters; 1930

Oil, canvas overlaid on board; 38 x 36 cm
Signed, dated l. d.: St. Żarnecki/ 1930
Provenance: private collection Cracow

Studied in 1897-1905 at the Cracow School of Fine Arts under Teodor Axentowicz, Jozef Mehoffer and Jozef Unierzyski was twice awarded medals. During his studies he changed his religion, his godfather became the then rector of the Academy of Fine Arts Julian Fałat. In 1914 he left for Vienna, during World War I he served in the Austrian army painting numerous military portraits. In 1918 he returned to Krakow where he established his own painting studio. He received a commission from the City Hall of Krakow to paint portraits of presidents: Jozef Friedlein, Feliks Szlachtowski and Ferdinand Weigl, which still hang in the Presidential Hall of the Krakow Magistrate. His paintings were exhibited at the Krakow Society of Friends of Fine Arts, among others. He became famous as a portraitist and creator of landscapes, while less frequently he painted flowers and still lifes.