ANTONI PIOTROWSKI (POLISH 1853-1924)
Battle Scene, 1900
oil on canvas
116 x 199 cm (45 5/8 x 78 3/8 in.); framed dimensions: 135 x 219 cm (53 1/8 x 86 1/4 in.)
signed and dated lower right

PROVENANCE
Private Collection, New York, NY

LOT NOTES
Born in Know, Poland, in 1853, Antoni Piotrowski was the most known as a remarkable master of historical painting. Piotrowski had a unique ability to depict dramatic moments in history and battle scenes with striking intensity.
After studying under such masters as Wojciech Gerson the Younger in Munich and Jan Matejko at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, Piotrowski went through different periods such as late romanticism, positivism and symbolism, and finally developed his unique documentary-like and detail oriented style covering military operations.
Piotrowski, himself participated in wars and was a direct witness of the battles he painted. In 1879, Piotrowski travelled to the newly liberated Bulgaria as a correspondent for the British The Graphic, and The Illustrated London News as well as for the French Le Monde Illustre. In 1885 he joined the Serbo-Bulgarian War as a Bulgarian volunteer for what he received the recognition of the first artist of the Bulgarian army and was awarded with an Order of Bravery from the Bulgarian State.
During his time as an artist in the Bulgarian Army Piotrowski painted the Battle of Slivnitsa, the storming of Tsaribrod and the Bulgarian entry in Pirot, as well as his epic canvas The Batak Massacre. The painting won an award at the Plovdiv Fair in 1892 and was included in the collection of the National Gallery of Foreign Art, Bulgaria. Nine of his historical battle-scenes painted in Bulgaria were purchased by the Bulgarian state, and are exhibited in the National Museum of Military History in Sofia.

CONDITION
Observed in frame, the painting is in good condition, relined, small damage to the upper left corner, surface grime and some minor scattered scratches, UV light inspection showed overall in-painting and retouching around 50%.
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