When Juliusz Kossak (1824-1899) was beginning to take the first steps in painting in the mid-19th century, Romanticism was reaching an established position in Polish art. He was a self-taught artist, briefly trained in drawing by Jan Maszkowski, a Lwow academic painter.  He mainly employed the use of watercolor, in which technique he reached unparalleled mastery.  When Poland had no statehood, Kossak's oeuvre encouraged the hearts of countrymen, consolidated national awareness, quickened aspirations for national independence, in brief, was emancipation of patriotism.