Stefan Filipkiewicz was a Polish painter and graphic artist, recognized as a representative of Stanisławski's "landscape school." He was born on July 1879, in Tarnów, to Wincenty and Helena Kurkiewicz. He attended the St. Jack Gymnasium in Kraków and, in 1899, on the advice of Jacek Malczewski, began his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, where he studied under Józef Mehoffer and Leon Wyczółkowski. His work focused on painting landscapes of the Tatra Mountains and Podhale.
Filipkiewicz debuted in 1899 with a series of Tatra landscapes exhibited at the Society of Friends of Fine Arts. From 1903, he was a member of the Warsaw Society of Encouragement of Fine Arts, where he regularly exhibited his works. After completing his studies in 1904, he traveled across Europe, gaining recognition at international exhibitions.
In 1908, he joined the Society of Polish Artists "Sztuka," becoming its president in 1928. His works were exhibited in Vienna, Berlin, Rome, Venice, and at secession exhibitions. In 1929, he won a gold medal at the National Exhibition in Poznań.
From 1927 to 1933, he lived in Zakopane, drawing inspiration from the Tatra landscapes. His artistic and patriotic endeavors tragically ended when he was killed in August 1944 at the Mauthausen concentration camp. Stefan Filipkiewicz left behind a rich artistic legacy, and his works are held in many museums and private collections in Poland and abroad.
