Józef Korolkiewicz

Polish Józef Korolkiewicz had versatile talents – he was an opera singer and athlete, and concurrently studied painting and voice. As a 400 metre hurdler he was only prevented by an injury from participating in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, having won a bronze medal in the 4x400 m relay at the World University Games at Roma in 1927. Korolkiewicz later became a very good senior tennis player. From 1934-49 he performed as a soloist with the Warszawa Opera, singing baritone. After World War II he produced book illustrations, posters and postage stamp designs, returning to painting only in 1960, after which horse motifs became his main work.

Korolkiewicz was represented in 1932 with the painting Bokserzy (Boxer, oil on canvas, 87 x 70 cm), which was also painted in that year. It later appeared under the title Na ringu (In the ring).