Wojciech Gerson

(b Warsaw, 1 July 1831; d Warsaw, 25 Feb 1901). Polish painter. He studied (1844-50) at the School of Fine Arts in Warsaw under Jan Feliks Piwarski (1794-1859) and Chrystian Breslauer (1802-82), and then at the Academy of Arts in St Petersburg (1853-5) under Alexey Markov (1802-78). During a stay in Paris (1856-7) he trained for three months at L?on Cogniet's studio, before returning to Warsaw in February 1858. Gerson was among the founders of the Towarzystwo Zacheta Sztuk Pieknych (Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts), the first exhibition-organizing body in Warsaw, which was set up in 1860. He also influenced a generation of artists from his position as Chief Professor to the Drawing Class at the School of Fine Arts. Gerson led the class until 1896, teaching life drawing, which he believed to be the foundation of art, and discouraging copying and imitation. A number of outstanding 19th-century Polish artists, both the more conservative and those of the avant-garde, studied under Gerson.

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Wojciech Gerson

Wojciech Gerson (1831 - 1901) was a Polish painter and professor.

Born in Warsaw, Gerson enrolled at the Warsaw Fine Arts Academy and graduated with honorable mention and a scholarship to St. Petersburg Academy of Arts where he studied historical painting under A. T. Markov. He graduated from St. Petersburg with a silver medal and returned to Warsaw. He left for Paris in 1850 and studied under Leon Cogniet.

He travelled back to Warsaw in 1858, where he would live for the rest of his life. Gerson began to teach art in his own workshop in 1865. He trained many future Polish artists such as Józef Chełmoński, Leon Wyczółkowski, Władysław Podkowiński, and Józef Pankiewicz. He was made a professor for the St. Petersburg Fine Arts Academy in 1878.

Gerson also worked as an architect and art critic. He is known for his paintings of patriotism, country life, and mountain landscapes. Gerson died in Warsaw, aged 70.

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