Eljasz-Radzikowski Walery

Eljasz-Radzikowski, Valery (ur. 1841 Cracow, zm. 1905 Cracow).
Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski is known not only as a painter, but also as the author of Tatra guides and a great popularizer of the Tatra Mountains and Zakopane. He studied painting at the School of Fine Arts in Kraków under the supervision of W.. Łukaszczkiewicz, from which he took over “antiquity” interest in Krakow's old monuments and historical themes in paintings. He continued his education in Munich, where during the uprising in 1863 r. he performed a special mission commissioned by the National Government. He traveled to Belgium, France, German, Switzerland and Italy. He was friends with J.I. Kraszewski, which often advised him in choosing the subjects of his paintings and helped to produce the edition prepared by Elijah Illustrated Guide to the Tatra Mountains, Pieniny and Szczawnice (1870). Elijah painted in oil and watercolors – views of Krakow's monuments and larger compositions on historical topics (e.g.. Żółkiewski after Cecora, Defense of Krakow against the Swedes, Jan II's entry into Vienna). A separate one, painting works are a great part of his work, drawings and graphics related to the Tatra Mountains – landscapes, panoramas, genre studies, portraits and maps, which today, next to artistic values, are valuable documentary material. Eljasz was extremely meritorious for the Tatra Mountains and Zakopane, m.in. one of the founders of the Tatra Society, author of a number of works on the Tatra Mountains, ancient history and culture. He was using the name Elijah; he did not use a double surname until the last years of his life.

In front of the Norbertine Church
watercolor, papier, 41 x 30,5 cm;
signed lower left: mal. by nature Valery Eljasz 1857.;
from the AGRA-ART Auction House catalog;