The life of the painter, writer, critic, and enlightened thinker Józef Czapski (1896 -1993) practically coincides with the whole of the 20th century. Born in Poland, Czapski grew up in the waning days of the Russian Empire. He took part in both World Wars as a soldier and officer. In the First World War as Polish Cavalry officer, in the Second World War first as a prisoner of war after the Soviet-Union had invaded Poland in September 1939 (he was one of the rare survivors of the Katyn massacre), then in the Polish Armed Forces in the Middle-East against Germany after 22 June 1941. After the war, he settled near Paris. He restarted painting and writing after the war. His early artistic output was destroyed during the war. Through a selection of diaries, books, drawings and paintings the exhibition brings to the fore his creative process and works. The Maison des arts Plexus in Chexbres is featuring another fifty of his works in parallel with the foundation’s show.
