Jan Szczepanik – The Polish Edison and Pioneer

of Color Photography

Jan Szczepanik, known as the "Polish Edison" and the "Leonardo da Vinci of Galicia," was a self-taught inventor who patented one of the earliest methods of color photography at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. His photoelectric technique enabled the creation of multicolored images and materials, revolutionizing both photography and the textile industry. Szczepanik held over 90 patents, including for bulletproof fabric and inventions that accelerated tapestry production.