Jacek Malczewski is one of the most revered painters of Poland, associated with the patriotic Young Poland movement following the century of Partitions. He is regarded as father of Polish Symbolism. In his creative output, Malczewski combined the predominant style of his times, with the historical motifs of Polish martyrdom, the Romantic ideals of independence, the Christian and Greek traditions, folk mythology, as well as his love of natural environment. His painting revolved around a few carefully selected motifs, constantly retold and expanded into mythology filled with national symbols. His own awakened imagination enabled Malczewski to free the creative voice within and give rise to new aesthetic ideas defining Poland's school of Symbolism. His art has been compared to that of French Gustave Moreau, Swiss Arnold Böcklin, and even Spanish Salvador Dalí. His paintings received high honours at the international exhibits including Berlin in 1891, Munich in 1892, and Paris in 1900.
