Tadeusz SEWERYN (1894-1975), Rose, 1934

autolithography, paper; 23 x 30.5 cm (framed, passe-partout), 33.5 x 41 cm (framed, passe-partout); signed on panel p. d.: MICHAEL / SEWERYN; signed in pencil under composition p. d.: Tadeusz Seweryn. The graphic comes from the collection "Portfolio of Autolithographs of Legionary Artists Issued on the Twentieth Anniversary of the Armed Deed of the Legions 1919-1934," published in 1934 in Cracow by the Section of Legionary Artists on the occasion of the Historic Exhibition of the Polish Legions at the National Museum in Cracow.

"Portfolio of autolithographs by Legionary artists issued on the twentieth anniversary of the armed deed of the Legions 1919-1934".
The portfolio was published in 1934 in Cracow by the Section of Legionary Artists and accompanied the Historical Exhibition of the Polish Legions at the National Museum in Cracow. The exhibition was later also shown in other cities, including Lviv. Also present at the exhibition were Ignacy Pinkas' Legion-themed works, most of which were unfortunately lost during World War II. Some are known from photographs, and those that survived, such as the portrait of artilleryman Tadeusz Muller, are in the National Museum in Cracow. The portfolio contains 15 lithographs by 10 artists, including Ignacy Pinkas. They include works by Stanisław Dąbrowski, Kazimierz Dzieliński, Stanisław Janowski, Franciszek Jaźwiecki, Stanisław Kamocki, Tadeusz Korpal, Tadeusz Seweryn, Wincenty Wodzinowski and Leon Wyczółkowski. The works show portraits of soldiers, combat and life in the trenches, war cemeteries and symbolic scenes. Most are signed in pencil by the authors.
All works were created especially for the exhibition in question.
Tadeusz Seweryn a.k.a. "Białowąs", "Boryna", "Socha", "Maksymilian Kulesza" (born August 21, 1894 in Żabno, died January 17, 1975 in Cracow) - ethnographer, painter, graphic artist, museologist and researcher of folk art.
In accordance with Jozef Pilsudski's order not to swear allegiance to the Austrian Emperor, he deserted. Arrested by the Austrian gendarmerie, he was incarcerated in a Legion POW camp in Vítkovice. He was soon assigned to the Italian front, after which he escaped to the Congress Kingdom and stayed in Janow Lubelski under the assumed name Maksymilian Kulesza. In 1918, together with W. Jablonski and students of the local gymnasium where he taught Latin and German, he organized a campaign against the Austrian troops stationed in the town, leading to the disarmament and expulsion of Austrian soldiers. During the Polish-Bolshevik war, he formed two squadrons of volunteer students and joined the partisan unit of F. Jaworski fighting in the Lublin province and Podlasie.