Son of an eminent Warsaw art critic, Witkiewicz went through traumatic experiences in Russia during World War I (he served in the Russian army) and the beginning of the Revolution. A prolific writer, he also painted and wrote papers on philosophy. His creative writings consist mainly of novels and dramas (at least 36, of which only 22 have survived). In his plays, Witkiewicz deals with profound social and philosophical problems in a way that makes him a forerunner of the Theater of the Absurd.
