Stanislaw Zagajewski was a self-taught Polish sculptor whose life and work are closely tied to the Art Brut tradition. Abandoned as a child in the winter of 1929 on the steps of St. Barbara’s Church in Warsaw, he was given a name and a fictitious birth date and place. He spent his early years in monastic care facilities in Ciechocinek and Grabie near Torun, later working in various trades including cook, gardener, bookbinder, tailor, night watchman, and stucco worker during the reconstruction of Warsaw.

Zagajewski’s passion for sculpting in clay emerged early, though his lack of formal education and poor health prevented him from attending art or construction schools. He learned ceramic firing techniques while working with ...