Brief Biography-Józef Oleszkiewicz, born in Šiluva, first studied art under Jan Rustem and Franciszek Smuglewicz at Vilnius University. In 1803, he entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the patronage of Count Aleksander Chodkiewicz, where Jacques Louis David tutored him. Then, after a few years of painting back in Vilnius, he travelled to Saint Petersburg, where the Imperial Academy of Arts honoured him with the title of Academician. Oleszkiewicz produced many figurative paintings and became a successful portraitist. He was eccentric, housing many cats and was charitable to the poor. He died in Saint Petersburg in 1830.