Artistic interest in the Tatras dates back to the early 19th century and coincided with the development of scientific exploration and tourism. The curiosity aroused by the mountains was accompanied by growing appreciation for homeland landscapes (and historical monuments) in the late 18th century, which intensified after Poland lost its independence. Since the time of Stanisław Staszic (1755-1826), the first Polish researcher of the Tatras, the mountains were regarded as the only independent piece of a homeland torn apart by foreign powers and became a symbol of freedom. A little later, as part of the Romantic movement, a fashion for visiting places that were unknown and unusual, wild and dangerous, developed, and this became an additional incentive to make more frequent trips to the Tatra mountains. [http://culture.pl/en/article/the-peak-of-artistry-painters-from-zakopane-and-the-tatra-mountains]