Szymon Kobyliński (1927 Warsaw – 2002 Warsaw), “Of all things, I had to step in ink!…,” a satirical illustration from the portfolio “Shlmoch Horls the Detective,” 1958

Biography
Polish graphic artist, illustrator, caricaturist, satirist, historian, set designer (primarily for theater, but also for film), and one of the pioneers of Polish comics. He was born into a family of painters (the son of Wiktor and Wanda Jasińska) and, to some extent, continued those traditions. He published his first press cartoon as early as 1936. He studied graphic arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and art history at the University of Warsaw. He was also an essayist and writer, as well as the author of television and radio programs. He helped popularize Polish culture and history. He was an expert on the weapons and colors of the Polish Army, as well as on bladed weapons and armor, primarily from the period of the First Polish Republic. He chaired the jury that selected the final design for the Order of the Smile, created by 9-year-old Ewa Chrobak. On March 21, 1969, he was awarded the Order of the Smile, and he received the medal and his membership card, numbered 16, on June 18, 1970, in Opole from Wanda Chotomska. He subsequently served as a member of the International Chapter of the Order of the Smile. He illustrated approximately 300 books and published 20 of his own. He illustrated the most important works of Polish literature, including *Pan Tadeusz* and the Trilogy. Among other things, he created portraits to complement Jan Matejko’s *Gallery of Polish Kings and Princes*. He was the author of the nearly legendary comic book *The Old Clock* from 1957 and three issues of the series *The Adventures of the Tank Crew and Sharik the Dog* (1970–1971). He also published in *Relax*, a magazine dedicated to comics.