He was taught the basics of drawing and painting by his father, the portrait painter,
Antoni Stefanowicz. This was followed by studies at the
Kraków Academy of Fine Arts with
Józef Pankiewicz and
Józef Mehoffer; the
Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, with
Otto Seitz, and private lessons in Paris with
Ferdinand Humbert. He began working primarily as an illustrator; favoring fairy tales and
Orientalist themes. He also did posters and designed women's clothing and furniture. Later, he painted decorations at the offices of the Land Credit Society in
Lwów (now a branch of the
National Bank of Ukraine) and was a co-founder of the artistic and literary magazine,
Wianki (Garlands). Along with many Polish artists, he was a contributor to
Tygodnik Illustrowany. In February, 1915, he joined the
Legion Wschodni, under the command of
Władysław Belina-Prażmowski, and received the nickname "
Soplica". He served throughout the war and participated in the
Battle of Lemberg. During the
Polish-Soviet War, he fought in the
Battle of Koziatyn and the seizure of
Chyrów. He was killed just before the beginning of the truce. In 1916, he published
Song of the Legionnaires: drawings of Kajetan Stefanowicz - Petty Officer 1st Regiment of the Polish Legions, a collection of engravings. He received several posthumous awards, including the
Order Virtuti Militari,
Cross of Independence and
Cross of Valour, and was buried at the
Cemetery of the Defenders of Lwów. == Selected paintings ==