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 he was tutored by Jacques Louis David. After a few years painting back in Vilnius he travelled to Saint Petersburg where the Imperial Academy of Arts honoured him with the title of Academician. He was known to be an eccentric character, he housed many cats and was very charitable to the poor. He was a successful portraitist and also produced many allegorical paintings. He died in Saint Petersburg in1830.