Ludwik Puget

Painter, sculptor, historian of art, publicist, one of the most eminent representatives of sculptors from the Young Poland movement. From 1895 to 1897 he studied painting at the School of Fine Arts in Krakow, then sculpture and history of art at the Jagiellonian University. In his work, Puget mainly focused on women, children and animals. He created small scale sculptures in clay, plasticine, hardened plaster and wax, characterized by simplified form and sketchy, vibrating texture. With time the surface of his sculptures became smoother and more simplified. He collaborated with artists who had set up the cabaret Zielony Balonik, for which he was writing epigrams and made puppets. In April 1942 he was arrested and imprisoned at the concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau. In May the same year he was executed by firing squad together with other prisoners under the Execution Wall. The last work he did in the camp was the portrait of the dog. Decorated with the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Poland Reborn and the highest French decoration Legion of Honour.