The New International Encyclopædia/Siemiradzki, Henryk

SIEMIRADZKI, syĕ'mḗ-rädz'kḗ, (1843-1902). A Polish historical painter, born near Kharkov, Little Russia. After frequenting the Academy of Saint Petersburg he traveled in Germany, France, and Italy, and spent some time in Munich. In 1872 he settled in Rome, whence he sent home his &ldquo;Christ and the Adulteress&rdquo; (1873, Alexander Museum, Saint Petersburg). The subjects of most of his brilliantly colored pictures are scenes from the life of ancient Greece and Rome, witness his first large composition, &ldquo;The Living Torches of Nero&rdquo; (1876, National Museum, Cracow), which was exhibited all over Europe and brought him the decoration of the Legion of Honor in 1878. He also painted &ldquo;Orgy in the Time of Tiberius,&rdquo; &ldquo;Vase or Woman?&rdquo; (1878, Kestner Museum, Hanover). &ldquo;Sword Dance&rdquo; (1880), &ldquo;Phryne at Eleusis&rdquo; (1889, Alexander Museum, Saint Petersburg), also themes from the New Testament, to wit, &ldquo;Christ with Mary and Martha&rdquo; (1886, ib.), &ldquo;The Last Supper&rdquo; (Church of the Saviour, Moscow), and &ldquo;Christ Pouring Oil on the Troubled Waters&rdquo; (Evangelical Church, Cracow).