Karl Witkowski
arol (Karl) D. Witkowski (16 August 1860 – 17 May 1910) was a Polish-American portraitist & and genre painter, better known in the USA as Karl Witkowski. He painted scenes of contemporary daily life in America. Karol Dominik Witkowski[1] was born to a Polish family in Jazłowiec[2] (Jaslowiec), near Czortków (Podole, Poland).
As young boy he showed unusual talent in making drawings and his parents sent him to school in Czortków (12 miles from Jazłowiec). In 1879 he enlisted in the Austrian Army (in 19th century southern Poland was occupied by Austria and named Galicia), where he gained popularity by making portraits of his fellow soldiers and commanding officers, including a portrait of General Duke William of Württemberg and portrait of Lieutenant Field Marshal Emanuel Salomon of Friedberg - Mírohorsky (this army officer also was a genre painter, it is possible, why later in USA Karl Witkowski became genre painter).[3][4] In 1880 Witkowski left the army and moved to Kraków, where from 1881 to 1883 he studied arts at the Academy of Fine Arts under the directorship of Jan Matejko. Witkowski also studied arts in Munich under Karl von Piloty. Around 1884 Witkowski emigrated from Poland,[5] like many others, and went to America, where he stayed for three years. During that time he created his first famous paintings of young people. In the beginning he signed paintings using the name "K.Wykowski". In 1887 he left America and arrived in France. In Paris Witkowski studied at the Julian Academy[6] (1887-1888) and continued to work on paintings and portraits. Most of his paintings done there he signed with the added initial of author's second name (K.D. Witkowski). Some of Witkowski's painting done in France: Portrait de Tomas Milatycki, Mother with Children.
In 1889 Witkowski returned to America and stayed for over 20 years until his death. During those years, besides portraits of the elite in New York City and Newark areas, he made over 200 paintings of young people (mostly newsboys and shoeshine boys), their daily life, at work and at play, often with their pets. The style of these paintings recalls the style of John George Brown to some extent.[7] Most of these paintings were signed ”K. Witkowski”. From 1891 until his death his paintings were available for sale at various auctions and picture galleries of New York City area. For some time he had his own studio in Brooklyn, New York (1903).[5]
Upon his arrival in the United States in 1884, Witkowski lived in New York City (from 1884 to 1887 and again from 1889 to 1891), later moving to Newark in 1891, and then to Irvington, South Orange, and Vailsburg, Newark.[8]
Witkowski died on May 17, 1910, in Newark, from blood poisoning, survived by his wife.[3] Witkowski died at the height of his artistic powers. In 1909 he registered 8 paintings through the United States Copyright Office[8] and in just a few months of 1910 he created and registered 14 pieces more,[9] also in the last months of his life, he exhibited his work at the State Fair of Texas and galleries of New York City.
REFERENCES
http://www.artinfo.pl/?pid=publications&sp=artinformations&id=372&lng=1
Jump up ^ "Jazłowiec - zarys dziejów miasta". Lwow.home.pl. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
^ Jump up to: a b c "Wistar, Caspar To Women’s Political Caucus of New Jersey". What-when-how.com. Retrieved 2013-05-10.[unreliable source?]
Jump up ^ "Lieutenant Field Marshal Field Emanuel Salomon Baron of Friedberg-Mírohorský". Valka.cz. Retrieved 2013-11-25.[unreliable source?]
^ Jump up to: a b c d "News of Brooklyn: Gossip of the Borough". New York Daily Tribune. 24 May 1903. p. 12.
Jump up ^ https://sites.google.com/site/academiejulian/w/witkowski
^ Jump up to: a b "Art & Artists". The Daily Standard Union. 17 July 1904.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j "Catalog of Copyright Entries: 1909 Etchings, Prints, etc.". Retrieved 28 May 2013.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1910 Engravings, Prints Etc.".
Jump up ^ The Cathedral Club raising funds story appearing in "The Brooklyn Daily Eagle" on 7 December 1902
Jump up ^ "The Brooklyn Daily Eagle" on 8 June 1902
Jump up ^ The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 16 November 1902
Jump up ^ Brooklyn Art Sales appearing in The Brooklyn Standard Union on 13 May 1904, featuring Witkowski's A Good Catch
^ Jump up to: a b "P. H. McMahon Auction at Lafayette Square Art Gallery (New York) appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 10 December 1896, featuring Witkowski's Expecting a Boom and "After a Raid", in both pictures the humor of the situation, which has some roguish boys for actors, being capitally carried out". Eagle.brooklynpubliclibrary.org.
Jump up ^ Loeser Picture Sale appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 23 January 1910, featuring Witkowski's Boys Playing Marbles
Jump up ^ Loeser Store appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 24 January 1910, featuring Witkowski's Feeding His Pets
Jump up ^ John Wannamaker Store (print advertisement) appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 26 March 1912, featuring Witkowski's Fishing]
Jump up ^ P. H. McMahon Auction at Lafayette Square Art Gallery (644 and 646 Fulton, St., New York) appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 3 May 1896, featuring Witkowski's Flower Seller
Jump up ^ appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 8 March 1907, featuring Witkowski's Going Sleighing
Jump up ^ The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. March 11, 1917 A group of paintings by American Artists
Jump up ^ Sale at Loeser Art Galleries appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 23 July 1905, featuring Witkowski's Partners
Jump up ^ Rohlf's Gallery appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 30 September 1900, featuring Witkowski's Sharing
Jump up ^ John Wanamaker appearing in The New York Herald on 11 May 1911, featuring Witkowski's Solitude
Jump up ^ The Brooklyn Daily Eagle 1905
Jump up ^ Loeser Art Galleries appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 7 September 1906, featuring Witkowski's The Pets
Jump up ^ Loeser Art Galleries appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 28 October 1906, featuring Witkowski's Young Artist
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. Oct 4-Dec 27 Fourth Quarter 1900 vol 25, Newark, N. J.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. July 4-September 26, Third Quarter 1901
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. April 4-June 27, Second Quarter 1901
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. January-March First Quarter 1901
^ Jump up to: a b c d Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. October 3-December 26, Fourth Quarter 1901
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. April-June Second Quarter 1902
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. January-March 1902, First Quarter 1902
Jump up ^ http://archive.org/stream/catalogoftitleen1902li#page/n5/mode/2up
Jump up ^ Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. July 3-September 25, Third Quarter 1902
^ Jump up to: a b c Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. January-March, First Quarter 1903
^ Jump up to: a b Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. April-June, Second Quarter 1903
^ Jump up to: a b c Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. July-September, Third Quarter 1903
Jump up ^ Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. October-December, Fourth Quarter 1903
Jump up ^ Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. April-June, Second Quarter 1904
Jump up ^ John J. Pigot, Artists Selling Agent appearing in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 21 December 1902, featuring Witkowski's The Temptation of Adam
Jump up ^ Catalog of Title Entries of Books Etc. October-December Fourth Quarter 1905
^ Jump up to: a b Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1906 Engravings, Prints Etc. Fine Arts July-December
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1907 Engravings, Prints Etc. Fine Arts January-December
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1908 Engravings, Prints Etc. Fine Arts January-December
Jump up ^ calendar with reproduction of this painting appearing in "Carmel NY Putnam Country Republican on 30 December 1916
Jump up ^ Fulton Historical Society - Search Over 25 Millions Old New York State Historical Photos & Newspapers Pages, years 1795 Thru 2007
Jump up ^ Library of Congress, Chronicling America Historic American Newspapers
Jump up ^ Brooklyn Daily Eagle 1841-1902 Online - Brooklyn Public Library's Brooklyn Collection
Jump up ^ Official Handbook: Art Department. State Fair of Texas. 1909. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
