Edward ŚMIGŁY-RYDZ, "Landscape from Trojanówka," 1915

Watercolor, pencil, paper, 25.7 x 18.5 cm, signed p.d.: Trojanówka 915 E. Rydz On the reverse of the stamp with the text in pen: From the collection / of Henryk Bednarski / from Lviv / L.p. 665. painting from the collection of Henryk Bednarski (1907-1991), a prominent Lviv collector and bibliophile, author of texts on art, archaeology and architecture. In the collector's catalog no. 665.

Polish politician, military officer, after graduating from gymnasium he began his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow in the studio of Leon Wyczółkowski and later Teodor Axentowicz. However, in 1908, after joining the Active Struggle Union, he decided to sacrifice his artistic career for political activity. He interrupted his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and moved to the Faculty of Philosophy at Jagiellonian University. During World War I, he was an officer in the Polish Legions - commander of the 1st infantry regiment. In September and October 1915, near Kowel in Volhynia, numerous portraits of infantry and cavalry officers of the 1st LP Brigade were created by Karol Maszkowski. At subsequent stopping places in Kowel, Powursk and Trojanovka, Maszkowski portrayed, among others, the commander of the 1st Infantry Regiment, Lt. Col. Edward Smigly-Rydz. The portrait, taken on September 19, 1915 in Powursk, is now in the collection of the National Museum in Cracow. (W. Milewska, M. Zientara, "Art of the Polish Legions and its Artists 1914-1918," Krakow, 1999, pp. 186,187)