Stefan Jacek Dembiński (coat of arm, Rawicz) (1887-1972), Major-General, cavalryman. He fought in World War I, the Polish-Bolshevik War, in which he distinguished himself with bravery in the battle with Budionny’s mounted army near Komarów (31 October 1920), and was also a soldier in World War II. During the September Campaign of 1939, he organised a group called "Uncle" ("Stryj"), which he commanded during actions protecting Polish units moving towards Hungary. In Hungary, he was a representative of the Commander in Chief and afterwards, having arrived in France, he became Head of the Department of Cavalry at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (he held this position since April 1940). After the evacuation to Great Britain, Dembiński became Head of the Military Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Poland (from October 1941 to 1947). After the war, he decided to stay abroad and did voluntary work for veteran and professional organizations. Honored with the Virtuti Militari Cross and four times with the Cross of Valour, he was also a knight of the French Legion of Honor and of many other Polish and foreign decorations.

General Dembiński combined virtues of a brilliant officer, patriot, teacher and community worker with his passion for art and collecting. He managed to collect over two thousand prints and albums. Aside from such masterpieces as prints by Lucas van Leyden, Cornelis Cort, Carraccis, Hollar, Bartolozzi, Earlom and graphics from the School of Rubens, the collection comprises works by less known artists, bearing testimony, however, to Dembiński’s expert knowledge of European art. Among these are works on the themes of animals, mythology, landscapes, genre and portraits. Such a big and diverse set gives an idea of the achievements of European graphic art from the 16^th to the 19^th century, showing characteristics of different schools (for example fine English mezzotints from the 18^th century) and pointing to the collector’s fields of interest. This collection, structured and organised by fixed criteria, was given by General Stefan Dembiński the National Museum in Warsaw in 1957 and has remained since then the most generous post-war donation to the Museum as far as old graphics are concerned.

Giovanni Battista Scultori (1503–1575)
Naval Battle between Troians and Greeks, 1538
Engraving, paper, 40 x 57,5 [cut]
Signed bottom center: I.B.MANTUANUS | SCULPTOR 1538
The red ink signature on the reverse with the monogram: St.D.
National Museum in Warsaw, Inv.no.Gr.Ob.W.175492
Donated by Stefan Dembiński, 1957–1958

Scherlte à Bolswert (1586–1659) after Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640)
Landscape with a Carriage of Stones, from the cycle of Little Landscapes, 1640–1657
Engraving, paper, 33,3 x 45, IV state
Signed bottom left: Petrus P.Rubbens pinxit. | S. à Bolswert Sculpsit; bottom right: Gillis Hendrix excud. | Antverpie Cum privilegio
Inscribed bottom center: Ornatissimo Viro CORNELIO DE WAEL [...] MARTINUS VANDEN ENDEN D.C.Q.
The red ink signature on the reverse with the monogram: St.D..
National Museum in Warsaw, Inv.no.Gr.Ob.Nid.4310
Donated by Stefan Dembiński, 1957–1958

Sébastien Bourdon (1616 – 1671)
The Annunciation, after 1637
Etching, paper, 17,9 x 13,3
Signed upper center: Seb. Bourdon invenit et fecit...
Inscribed lower center: Quam grata vox Angeli [...] pacis autorem
National Museum of Warsaw, Inv.no.Gr.Ob.F. 4363
Donated by Stefan Dembiński, 1957-1958.

Marcus De Bye (De Bie) (1639 – ok. 1690) after Paulus Potter (1625 − 1654)
Lion, 1664
Etching, paper, 16,2 x 21,4, cut
The red ink signature on the reverse with the monogram: St.D.
National Museum in Warsaw, Gr.Ob.Nid.4207
Donated by Stefan Dembiński, 1957-1958.

Jean Le Pautre (1618–1682 )
The Rape of Europe, before 1680
Etching, paper, 23 x 31,8 [cut]
Signed bottom left: le Potre Invenit et fecit...; bottom right: S. Sympson exc. Avec privil du Roy 
Inscribed top center: Iupiter [...] compaignes
The red ink signature on the reverse with the monogram: St.D.
National Museum in Warsaw, Inv.no.Gr.Ob.F.4830
Donated by Stefan Dembiński, 1957–1958

Martin Elias Ridinger (1730–1780) after Johann Elias Ridinger (1698–1767)
Turk Leading a Camel
Etching, engraving, paper, 31,1 x 21,8 [cut]
Signed bottom left: Joh. El. Ridinger ad vivum del.; bottom right: M. El. Ridinger sc. A.V.
Inscribed bottom center: Ein Camel [...] ganzen Welt nüzen.
The red ink signature on the reverse with the monogram: St.D.
National Museum in Warsaw, Inv.no.Gr.Ob.N.3543
Donated by Stefan Dembiński, 1957–1958

Francesco Bartolozzi (1727 – 1815) after Giovanni Francesco Barbieri called Guercino da Cento (1591-1666)
The Adoration of the Kings, before 1764
Sepia etching imitating pen drawing, paper, 31,5 x 44,6 [39,8 x 54,3]
Signed bottom left: Guercino de Cento inv:, bottom right: f. Batolozzi scul
Inscribed bottom center: Ex Collectione Joannis Baptistae Tiepolo | Celebris Pictoris Veneti
National Museum in Warsaw, Inv.no.Gr.Ob.A.790
Donated by Stefan Dembiński, 1957-1958.

Richard Earlom (1742/1743 – 1822) after Mario Nuzzi di Fiori
A Concert of Birds, 1778
Mezzotint, etching, paper, 41,5 x 57 [42,9 x 58,5]
Signed bottom left: Mario di Fiori pinxit., bottom center: John Boydell excudit 1778, bottom right: Rich, d Earlom Sculpsit.
Inscribed bottom center: A CONCERT OF BIRDS. | In the Breakfast Room at Houghton.
National Museum in Warsaw, Inv.no.Gr.Ob.A.589
Donated by Stefan Dembiński, 1957-1958.