Jan Żak (1884-1961), born in Brzeżany. From 1896 he lived in Brazil, where his parents had emigrated. He received a state scholarship, granted by Santos Andrade, thanks to which he graduated from the School of Arts and Industry in Curitiba (1898-1901). He then studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro from 1901 to 1902. In 1903, the next stage of his education was a trip to Europe. There he studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels. His teacher was Charles Van der Stappen. He stayed in Brussels until 1910, at which time he graduated with honours. After the death of his master, he returned to Brazil with the aim of setting up his own studio, which he failed to do. In 1912 he arrived in Paris, where he lived for 10 years. There he trained at the Academy of Fine Arts. In 1922 he returned to Brazil, settled in Rio de Janeiro and took Brazilian citizenship. He is the author of numerous sculptures, including the "Sower" monument commissioned by the Polish community to commemorate the first Polish settlers. From 1940, he was a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro, where he worked until his death.