Henryk Hector Siemiradzki Biography | Oil Paintings

Henryk Hektor Siemiradzki paintings depict scenes from the ancient Greco-Roman world and the New Testament, often presenting biblical and historical scenes of early Christians.

Henryk Hektor Siemiradzki was born to a Polish noble family of a military physician, near the city of Kharkiv in the Russian Empire. Henryk Siemiradzki studied at Kharkiv Gymnasium where he first learned painting under the local school teacher, who had been a student of Karl Briullov. He later entered the Physics-Mathematics School of Kharkiv University to study natural sciences, but he never gave up painting.

After graduating from Kharkiv University with his degree, Henryk Siemiradzki moved to Saint Petersburg to study painting at the Imperial Academy of Arts from 1864– to 1870, abandoning his scientific career. In 1870, upon his graduation, he was awarded a gold medal and a grant from the Academy, which he used to study under Karl von Piloty in Munich. In 1872 he moved to Rome and with time, built a studio there while spending summers at his estate in Poland.

In 1873 he received the title of Academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts for his painting Christ and Sinner, based on a verse from Tolstoy. In 1878 he received the Order of the Legion of Honour and was awarded a Gold Medal at the Paris World's Fair for his oil painting The Girl Or The Vase. In 1879 he offered one of his best-known works, the enormous Pochodnie Nerona (Nero's Torches), to the newly formed Polish National Museum.

Art Movement: Academic Art.
Artists Influencing Henryk Hektor Siemiradzki: D.I. Besperchy, Karl von Piloty.
He Traveled To Italy, Poland, France, Germany.
Artist Biography compiled by Albert L. Mansour at The World's Artist, with text adapted from Wikipedia.