George Bernard Shaw, a friend of the painter, called him "the illusionist of black and white". The artist himself used to say, "I am simply driving hungrily through life with a pencil". He was a chronicler of the 20th century, the author of drawings immortalising the most important figures and events of the time. Born in Warsaw, he became associated with London, where he set up a studio under the Hungerford Bridge arches. He recorded almost every place on earth in his passport. His life appears as colourful as his personality and the events he chronicled.

The Warsaw Barber", Jan Lechoń and Feliks Topolski
. Feliks Topolski's (1907-1989) autobiography, published in London in 1988 and entitled Fourteen Letters , begins with the story of the young artist's meeting with Jan Lechoń, then editor of the periodical Cyrulik Warszawski. At the time, he heard Lechon ask: "How many letters are in your name?" when he gave the answer: "Fourteen", the writer was said to be delighted and stated: "Exquisite! It means living a life of fulfilment - always use/sign your full name to fuel that magic!". Felix Topolski, it seems, took this advice. By his own admission, this 'magical fulfilment' affected him not only physically or economically; it made him an uncompromising artist, faithful to himself and his style, which sometimes caused critics to mock his 'swollen egocentrism', but gave him extraordinary satisfaction and standing in the art world.

Feliks Topolski - biography
Feliks Topolski was born in Warsaw on 17 August 1907 as the child of the actor Edward Topolski and Stanisława Drutowska. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, in the studio of Tadeusz Pruszkowski, who was his mentor and protector. The artist belonged to the Warsaw bohemia. He was also a student at the Artillery Officer Cadet School. He was always accompanied by the need to travel. He embarked on his first "Grand Tour" in 1933, visiting Moravian Ostrava, Vienna, Venice, Rome and Berlin.

The most important stop in his life turned out to be London. He ended up there thanks to "Wiadomości Literackie" as the newspaper's correspondent. He was commissioned by the paper to make a series of drawings of the silver jubilee celebrations of King George V's reign. The celebrations lasted for a whole week from 6 May 1935, with parades, performances, exhibitions and other events in London related to the British monarch. Hundreds of thousands of people reportedly attended.

London - Feliks Topolski's favourite city
London became a fixture on Feliks Topolski's CV. He accepted commissions from the News Chronicle and Night and Day, among others. He published his drawings from the Chronicle in the form of a book entitled The London Spectacle.

During the Second World War, Feliks Topolski was awarded the title of war artist by King George VI. At the same time, he worked for the British and Polish governments. He witnessed the bombing of London, the image of which he immortalised in his drawings. His war sketches were published in the form of the books Britain in Peace and War, Russia in War, and Three Continents, 1944-45. He reported on important events in real time, not only by sketching, but also by publishing his memoirs in various newspapers (e.g. Journey to Russia, New Poland).

Topolski's wanderings around the world
He travelled in England, Italy, Russia, as well as Africa, Asia, the Far East and the Middle East. He had the opportunity to meet the greats of this world, including Mahatma Gandhi. This is how he recalled the event: "My day with him fell at the time of his release from prison, which he highlighted as the 'Day of Silence'. And in that way it was a contemplation. My only communication with him was writing - including his signature, done in Hindi and English, on one of my drawings." Gandhi's portrait appeared in print as an illustration in Topolski's Chronicle, among others. The artist's journey passed through: Egypt, Syria, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Bombay, Calcutta, Chungking and many others. In 1944, Topolski accompanied in Italy, General Władysław Anders and the soldiers of the 2nd Polish Corps. He captured on his drawings the view of the destroyed monastery on Monte Casino, the moment of the liberation of Rome, the wounded Polish soldiers in Loreto.
He then travelled to Germany. His drawings and photographs showing the concentration camps are harrowing. The artist was also a correspondent during the Nuremberg trial. "Eight months, six hours a day, in artificial dead air, under corpse-white ceiling lamps, without a shadow of a glare, twenty-one defendants sit..." he recorded in his Autobiography.

Feliks Topolski - chronicler of the 20th century
After the war ended, the artist did not give up his profession or his travels. He was a chronicler of his century. He worked in London in his own studio, which he set up under Hungerford Bridge. There he created the amazingly painterly 'Memoir of the 20th Century'. The acrylics on huge dictatorships and cardboards hung from the ceiling of the studio were 6 metres high and 200 metres wide. On them, Felix Topolski captured faces and events. In addition, from 1953 onwards, he created "Topolski's Chronicles" - a kind of magazine in which he recorded the most important events in the world. They had more than 2,000 subscribers and were printed by the artist using the lithographic method on large sheets of wrapping paper. Feliks Topolski died in London in 1989.

'Topolski' bar in London - art and history in one place
Today, the place where Feliks Topolski had his London studio is home to the 'Topolski' bar. As the owners state in the advertising text on their website, it's a place full of art and history, where you can sit down and have a coffee during the day, and where you can come in the evening and eat pizza, drink craft beer or cider, listen to music and have a good time. As you enter the bar above you and next to the tables, you can interact with great art by Feliks Topolski. "Step inside and huddle under the historic 'Diary of a Century', a 600-metre-long mural depicting a meticulous record of unconventional London. [...] Topolski has everything you need to make an evening unforgettable."