Eryk Lipiński

Eryk Lipiński (12 July 1908, Kraków - 27 September 1991) was a Polish artist. Satirist, caricaturist, essayist, he has designed posters, written plays and sketches for cabarets, as well as written books on related subjects.

Eryk Lipiński studied at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts from 1933 to 1939. His debut as a caricaturist was made few years earlier, in 1928, in magazine Pobudka. In 1935 he cofounded with Zbigniew Mitzner a satirical newspaper Szpilki (czasopismo); he was its chief editor for several years (1935-37 and 1946-53). During World War II he was one of the artists working with the Polish resistance, involved in production of false documents. He was arrested by the Nazis and imprisoned in the infamous Pawiak prison, in Mokotów prison and in the Auschwitz concentration camp.

After the war he joined the Polish United Workers Party. He contributed to many newspapers and magazines, such as Przekrój, Przegląd Kulturalny, Trybuna Ludu, Panorama, Zwierciadło and Express Wieczorny. In 1966 he organized the First International Poster Biennale.  In 1978 he founded the Museum of Caricature in Warsaw and was its first director (it would be named after him in 2002). In 1980 he formed the Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Monuments in Poland. Active in preserving Polish Jewish culture; in 1987 he founded the Association of Polish Cartoonists (Stowarzyszenie Polskich Artystów Karykatury, SPAK).

One of the Polish Righteous among the Nations (he received this title in 1991).

Awards

• 1948 - seven 1st prizes at the International Poster Exhibition in Vienna
• 1964 - 1st prize for the best political poster of 1963
• 1966 - Gold Pin (Złota Szpilka)
• 1972 - Gold Pin with Laurel (Złota Szpilka z Wawrzynem)
• 1981 - "Distinguished Artist of the Year 1980" of The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists