Feliks Topolski

Feliks Topolski was born in Poland and studied in Warszawa at the Academy of Fine Arts. He was a draughtsman, cartoonist and illustrator. In the 1930s, Topolski traveled to Italy and France, before settling in Great Britain in 1935. During World War II, he became famous as one of the great war illustrators, working officially for the British Government, serving on the front lines in Russia, China, Burma, India, Palestine, Africa, Egypt, Syria, and Italy. Topolski was in London to record the Battle of Britain, while in Germany he recorded the collapse of the Nazi regime and was able to witness the freeing of the concentration camps. In 1947 he received British citizenship.

After the war Topolski became known as a portraitist of known British figures, especially politicians. He also made numerous murals and collages with pencil and ink, in a style that was characterized by the use of vigorous swirling lines. At the author’s request, he illustrated an edition of works by George Bernard Shaw. For more than 25 years Topolski published a magazine titled “Kroniki Topolskiego” (Topolski’s Chronicles) with texts and drawings. His son Daniel was a well-known rower in Britain.