Zbigniew Lengren was one of the most distinguished Polish cartoonists, caricaturists, and illustrators of the 20th century, best known as the creator of the iconic character Professor Filutek. His work—full of subtle humor and gentle irony—has become a lasting part of Polish visual culture.
Lengren was born on February 2, 1919, in Tula, Russia, and died on October 1, 2003, in Warsaw. He also authored aphorisms, caricatures, posters, book and press illustrations, and theatrical set designs.
Though born in Russia, he spent his childhood and youth in Toruń, where he completed high school. In 1938, he began studying at the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology, but his studies were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. He fought in the September Campaign and was later taken prisoner by the Germans, spending the remainder of the war in POW camps and prisons. After the war, he resumed his education at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.
Lengren made his artistic debut in 1944 as a caricaturist for the magazine Stańczyk. He soon began working with many other publications, including Szpilki, Świat, Trybuna Robotnicza, and Playboy. However, it was the comic strip Professor Filutek—published weekly from 1948 to 2003 in the magazine Przekrój—that brought him the most recognition. Professor Filutek, a refined gentleman in a bowler hat, accompanied by his dog Filuś, became a beloved icon of Polish comic art.
Lengren was a versatile artist who described himself as a humorist and refused to be pigeonholed as merely a cartoonist. Known for his elegance and refined sense of humor, he also created illustrations for children’s and adult books, posters, theatrical sets, and literary texts including poems, epigrams, and aphorisms. He collaborated with Warsaw’s satirical theaters, such as Teatr Satyryków. His work was appreciated not only in Poland but also abroad. In Germany, for example, his book Das dicke Buch Lengren (1974) was published—a humorous compilation of drawings and satirical articles.
Lengren was also the creator of “photo-drawings”—visual jokes that combined photography with illustration. He left behind a rich artistic legacy that continues to be admired. The largest collection of Lengren’s drawings and posters—about 130 works—is held by the Museum of Caricature in Warsaw.
Gold Cross of Merit (1955)
Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People’s Poland (1955)
Order of the Smile (1977)
In 2005, on what would have been his 86th birthday, a small sculpture was unveiled in Toruń by artist Zbigniew Mikielewicz to honor Lengren’s connection to the city. The sculpture depicts Filuś holding Professor Filutek’s bowler hat in his mouth and guarding his master’s umbrella.
Among the characters created by Lengren, Professor Filutek gained the greatest fame. He first appeared in 1946 on the last page of Przekrój. The adventures of this bowler-hatted old gentleman—often accompanied by his dog Filuś—quickly won over readers. Known for his diligence and strong work ethic, Lengren delivered weekly installments of the comic to the Kraków-based magazine for over 50 years. Always shown in profile, Filutek lived in a slightly surreal world. Occasionally he had romantic escapades, though the eroticism remained delicate and tasteful.
Lengren once joked that he would draw a strip where Filutek is hit by a tram—but that was the only promise he never kept. The adventures of Professor Filutek were even published in China.
In 2022, Lengren’s former home and studio at 6/8a Brzozowa Street in Warsaw—nicknamed Lengrenówka—was opened to the public. It now serves as an intimate gallery and educational space, showcasing both Lengren’s work and that of other Polish cartoonists and satirists. The space hosts author events, workshops, and exhibitions, while preserving much of the original decor to reflect the artist’s spirit.
Visitors can experience the creative atmosphere in which Professor Filutek was born and gain insight into Lengren’s world.
