Axentowicz Teodor was a painter and professor in the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. He was born in 1859 in Braszów in Hungary in Armenian family, studied in universities of Lviv, Munich and even Paris, met such famous artists as Władysław Mickiewicz, Sara Bernard or Wojciech Kossak. He was frequently visiting England. In 1895 he arrived to Krakow and stays here till his death in 1938. He had a house in Zakopane and visited it with his five daughters, which is why it was called “Córnikiem”(from Polish “córka”, daughter in English”).
He was a professor in the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow from 1895 to 1934, and in 1910-1927 he was also its rector. He was a co-founder of the Society of Polish Artists “Sztuka”, in 1897 he founded the art school for women, he was a member of Viennese artistic society called “Secession” and many other artistic and historical organisations.
He was mostly famous for his portraits, but he was also performing genre painting and figural studies. Some of his most popular works are:
· “Gęsiarka” 1880 (Shepherdess of geese)
· “Pogrzeb huculski” 1887 (The hutsul funeral)
· “Święto Jordanu” 1893 (The Jordan feast)