Adam Bunsch (1896-1969) - Polish painter, graphic artist, author of stained glass, educator and playwright. After Poland regained its independence in 1918, he joined the 1st Field Artillery Regiment of the Legions. He fought in the Polish-Ukrainian War (1918-1919), participating in the defence of Lwów, and in the Polish-Bolshevik War. For his bravery he was twice awarded the Cross of Valour (1921). In 1920, he was promoted to second lieutenant, but was dismissed from the army due to start university studies. In 1921 he passed the teachers' exam and moved to Bielsko, where he took up a job as a teacher at the State Industrial School. He taught freehand drawing, professional drawing and sketching in the mechanical department. In the same year he obtained a diploma in painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków and a degree in philosophy from the Jagiellonian University. He debuted as a painter in 1921, presenting his works at exhibitions in Lviv and Krakow. Despite his move to Silesia, he maintained contact with the Kraków artistic community and regularly exhibited his works in Lviv and at the Warsaw "Zachęta". His oil paintings with a Young Poland style such as: "Dance and Death" showing similarities to the work of Malczewski and Mehoffer, attracted critical attention. He also created cycles devoted to the experience of war, both in graphic and literary form, such as 'To Victory' and 'Carbine Ball', which was awarded a silver medal at an exhibition at the Zachęta Gallery (1930). His work also included realistic family portraits, including 'Portrait of Wife with Children'. Bunsch was fascinated by Chinese and Japanese printmaking, creating numerous colour woodcuts using a special technique with watercolours. He created compositions from various forms of nature, such as 'Irises', 'Sparrows' and other floral and animal motifs. Bunsch's interest in theatre was manifested in the presence of allegories and literary compositions in his works. He made his debut as a playwright in 1933 with the play "Steam Horse", staged in the J. Słowacki Theatre in Kraków. He wrote other plays, such as "Mr Signac's Dollars" and "Haneczka and the Ghost", which were also staged on stage. Towards the end of the 1920s, his work turned towards religious themes[19]. His paintings, such as 'Resurrection' and 'Annunciation', showed the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites and the art déco style. In 1932, he participated in the Exhibition of Polish Religious Art in Katowice, which provoked discussions and polemics among critics. His important achievement was the creation of the stained glass and polychrome windows in St. Mary's Church in Katowice (1936-1939) according to the programme of Father E. Szramek. These stained glass windows, such as 'Virtues and Misdeeds' and 'Legend of St. Jack', won recognition and were awarded a gold medal at the Annual Salon at the Warsaw 'Zachęta' (1936). Between the wars he regularly participated in national and international exhibitions and was awarded the title of professor in 1938. In 1946 he became a teacher at the State Industrial School in Bielsko, but was unable to take up employment. In 1947 he was transferred to the State Industrial School in Krakow, but in 1951, after difficulties caused by the authorities, he was removed from it. Bunsch tried to actively participate in artistic life, taking part in group exhibitions of paintings and prints. After the war he mainly created works on sacred themes. He designed many sets of stained glass windows for churches, including those in Czechowice-Dziedzice (1939-1946), Ruda Śląska (1949-1951) or Lipnik (1948-1953), as well as abroad. He also executed polychromes such as "Storm at Sea" and "Stations of the Cross" in the Church of Divine Providence in Zawodzie (now Katowice; 1953-1955) and in Lipnik (1956). In the church of St Anthony of Padua in Orzesze-Zgon he created a series of six large-format frescoes illustrating parables by Bunsch and the Stations of the Cross on gilded boards. He also created watercolours and oil landscapes (including views of Jastarnia, journeys to Greece and Italy), maintained in a post-impressionist style, and family portraits. He also continued his pre-war graphic work. His oeuvre was presented at exhibitions such as Adam Bunsch at Warsaw's "Zachęta" (1963) and at the TPSP in Kraków (1965).