Many Polish homes still have children’s books (and not only them) in which you can admire Szancer’s illustrations. I myself have “Favorite Fairy Tales” by Zofia Szancerowa, published in 1986, and “Pan Kleks” from 1989. Is .
Mr. Kleks was created by the best Polish illustrator in history
Jan Marcin Szancer was born in 1902 in Kraków, he graduated from the local Academy of Fine Arts. As a professor at the Department of Graphic Design, he trained many talented successors. He was the first artistic director of “Świerszczyk”, then he held the same position at the start-up Polish Television. When Brzechwa finished writing “The Academy of Mr. Kleks” in 1945, Szancer was commissioned to draw the illustrations.
He was accommodated by the book’s publisher in the Grand Hotel, and it was there that the first sketches were created. According to Brzechwa, Kleks was of average height and wore such clothes that it was difficult to tell what his stature was. He wore wide trousers, a long chocolate (or burgundy) frock coat, a lemon vest, a high collar, and instead of a tie, he tied a bow at the neck. He had huge hair and hair in all the colors of the rainbow, as well as a “pitch-black” beard and an orange mustache. He wore glasses on his nose and often had freckles, which he got from Filip the barber.
Mr. Kleks resembles a philosopher with a dove heart. Who was Franciszek Fiszer?
As Henryk Gościański and Prętnicki note in the biography “Jan Marcin Szancer. Ambassador of Imagination” (Oficyna Wydawnicza G&P 2019), the illustrator really liked the character of the professor. In his opinion, she was similar to the famous philosopher Franciszek Fiszer. This erudite, born in 1860, who did not finish his studies in Leipzig, was a regular visitor to many Warsaw salons and cafes and was friends with many writers, artists and philosophers. Many people were happy to host him when his family farm, Ławy, was auctioned off in 1899 for debts.
In many memories he is remembered as lively, but also lazy. Apparently, to force him to be physically active, his friends came up with a conspiracy. About a kilometer from the house, the forester was supposed to place tobacco in a specially installed box (under the shrine) every day. If Fischer wanted to smoke a pipe, he had to go out every morning to get a supply.
This is just one of numerous anecdotes that have been preserved about the philosopher. Franciszek Fiszer (this spelling of his name also exists) was said to have invented the artistic pseudonym of Bolesław Leśmian. He was close to, among others, with Władysław Reymont, Stefan Żeromski, Julian Tuwim, Artur Rubinstein… it would probably be easier to name who did not spend time with him. In an interview with Polish Radio, doctor Roman Rogowski recalled their meeting in 1921. He said that Fischer was a great gourmet and a good person. – Everyone liked him and respected him. For his elan, for his wit – known throughout the country – and for his dove heart – in 1973, adding:
I’ve never heard him say anything bad about anyone. He was friends with everyone, especially young people, and lived with them as brothers.
Mr. Kleks – exhibition ‘JAN MARIA SZANCER. POSTCARDS FROM THE BOGDAN KOLESZYŃSKI COLLECTION from 2004; on the right Franc Fischer Agencja Wyborcza /Tomasz Stróżyk; Aleksander Żyw – Tygodnik Ilustrowany., vol. 80, no. 21 (May 21, 1939) http://polona.pl/item/7998374/14/, public domain, Wikimedia.org
– He was always dressed in a black jacket with a vest, and a hat, which was characteristically always tucked on his forehead – he says, paying particular attention to his facial hair. – An element of his external appearance was a magnificent beard, which shimmered with different colors depending – as they said – on the resources of the substrate or some paint. It also changed color slightly sometimes. He took great care of it and it must be admitted that whenever we kissed somewhere, this beard always had a nice, pleasant smell. I said that the beard smells of metaphysics – Rogowski said about Fischer.
Fischer died in 1937 in Warsaw, so he could not comment on the similarity of the literary hero. “Mr. Kleks’s Academy” was published in 1946, “Mr. Kleks’s Travels” in 1961, and “Mr. Kleks’s Triumph” four years later. In 1983, the professor from the world of fairy tales gained the face and distinctive voice of Piotr Fronczewski. In 1985, “Pan Kleks’s Travels” premiered, and three years later, “Mr. Kleks in Space”. This trilogy by Krzysztof Gradowski was an important film experience for many children born in the 1980s and 1990s. The stories about the terror after seeing the march of wolves and the fear caused by Leon Niemczyk in the role of Filip the barber are legendary. To this day, Małgorzata Ostrowska is greeted with huge applause when the first bars of “Meluzyna” sound on stage, and Fronczewski himself has an important place in many hearts thanks to the role of Ambroży Kleks.
Where does Jarosław Jakimowicz come from in this story?
However, not everyone probably knows that at the turn of the millennium, Gradowski also adapted “The Triumph of Mr. Kleks”. It was an animation with live action inserts, and Fronczewski’s voice can be heard in the film. Studio Miniatur Filmowych made the production available online. Already in the first scene, Jaros³aw Jakimowicz, once the star of “Young Wolves”, and recently a tiktoker insulting his recent collaborators, appears on the screen. In Triumph, he is a cartoonist who tells the story of “his favorite childhood hero”.
On January 5, “The Academy of Mr. Kleks” by Maciej Kawulski with Tomasz Kot in the title role officially hits cinemas. Between December 25 and January 1, the new “Mr. Kleks’ Academy” was watched by 438,000 viewers. This is at pre-premiere screenings in the history of the Polish box office.
It’s a completely new story (Krzysztof Gureczny and Agnieszka Kruk are responsible for the script and the book published on the occasion. It contains elements from Brzechwa’s books, Kleks resembles the one drawn by Szancer, but there are also many changes. Not only that Adaś Niezgódka was replaced by Ada. This time, children from all over the world study at the Academy, and the dangerous heroes are not wolves, but wolves. The army of these creatures is led by a vengeful wolf woman, played by Danuta Stenka. In the production you can hear both new versions of some songs known from 1984 year, as well as completely new songs.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
