Jerzy Kossak (Polish, 1886-1955) Military man and his horse. Oil on cardboard. Signed and dated lower left: Jerzy Kossak | "1928" Height. 24,5 Width. 21,5 cm. In a gilded and stuccoed wooden frame (Height. 40 Width. 37 cm). Son and grandson of famous painters of battle and hunting scenes, Jerzy Kossak was immersed in a world rich in military motifs, particularly related to the cavalry, which occupies a special place in Polish culture and identity. A seasoned rider himself, he served on the Italian front during the First World War as a lieutenant in an Austrian lancer regiment, then taught riding at a Polish cavalry officers' school. Many of his paintings, such as this Military Man and His Horse, which shows a Polish uhlan (lancer) accompanied by his mount, are in fact double portraits of man and animal showing their deep complicity. Depicting soldiers in Polish uniforms, a symbol of independence, they have become iconic images of the heroic period of the Second Republic when Poland was reborn after more than a century of partition. Jerzy Kossak (Krakow, 1886-1955); Polish painter, son of painter Wojciech and grandson of painter and watercolorist Juliusz Kossak. Since his early childhood, he trained under their direction. As a continuation of their art, he creates battle scenes, historical and genre scenes, with the omnipresent motif of the horse. His favorite themes were scenes from the November Uprising, the Napoleonic Wars and many scenes from the 1920 war, including the Battle of Warsaw, also known as the Miracle on the Vistula. He also painted numerous chases and races with Cossacks, wolf assaults, hunts and weddings. The themes of his works have always attracted the interest of collectors and the public.