Franciszek Smuglewicz
born 1745, died 1807
Painter and draughtsman descended from the well-known Smuglewicz family of artists in Warsaw. He was among the most important artists of the age of Stanisław August, appreciated by his peers. His early art education started off in Warsaw, but he moved to Rome to study at the Accademia di San Luca in Rome, thanks to a royal stipend from the king himself. In 1766, he received his first painting prize in the Clementine contest as a first-year student. He remained in Rome for nearly 12 years, painting portraits for wealthy tourists. He also honed his skills by painting copies of old masters. One of his greatest accomplishments of the period was a series of sketches prepared for a set of graphic illustrations documenting archaeological digs and antique sculptures (Hypogaei or Sepulchral Caverns of Tarquinia 1842, Vestigia delle Terme di Tito 1776, Il Museo Pio Clementino 1776). Upon returning to Warsaw in 1784, he carried out a number of painting commissions with historical and religious themes. He also managed a studio for mentoring young painters. In 1797, he moved to Vilnius, where he headed the newly-founded Department of Drawing and Illustration at the University of Vilnius.
