P O L I S H H I S T O R Y P A I N T I N G S of 19th century of 19th century

Presenting on the canvas moments of the greatness of our country, showing historic triumphs of Polish arms, Polish painters were aware of the fact that in that way they strengthened national pride and the will of survival, enlivened hope of rebirth of the nation with such great tradition. Presenting on the canvas moments of the greatness of our country, showing historic triumphs of Polish arms, Polish painters were aware of the fact that in that way they strengthened national pride and the will of survival, enlivened hope of rebirth of the nation with such great tradition. Such were the feelings evoked by hisorical painters.

Jan Matejko ( ) cultivated an unusual kind of historical painting in which fiction intermingles with fact. He was performing a very special mission appealing to national consciousness. He awakened the will to fight for independence of Poland, which was under annexation at that time.

The Portrait of Jan Matejko

In the 21st century Jan Matejko is still an example of master whose priorities were the art and the Fatherland.

The Constitution of the 3rd of May 1791

THE CORONATION

THE UNION OF LUBLIN

THE BATTLE OF GRUNWALD is one of the most famous Matejko’s paintings. The artist presented on the canvas the victory of Polish-Lithuanian army over the Teutonic Order on 15th June 1410.

fragments of THE BATTLE OF GRUNWALD

Witold the Great Prince of Lithuania

Zawisza the Black

Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights

„Stańczyk”- nadworny błazen królewski, który przewiduje upadek Polski po wojnie z Moskwą w 1514 roku. Matejko dał Stańczykowi swoją twarz STAŃCZYK - the king’s court jester who foresaw the fall of Poland after the war with Moscow in Matejko gave the jester his own facial features.

Rejtan – a painting which shows a delegate from Nowogródek, Tadeusz Rejtan, protesting against the First Partition of Poland – Lithuania by Russia, Prussia and Austria. He flung himself on the floor attempting to block the door to the Chamber of Deputies and prevent the fatal vote. Matejko presents the county’s traitors standing under the picture of Russian tsarina Catherine II and the helpless Polish king Sigismund August.

REJTAN

Prussian Homage The painting presents Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights paying a solemn homage to Polish king Sigismund I the Old. In the painting one can see the king’s jester sitting on the step, he does not seem to be very happy – Poland had not fully achieved its political aim.

Juliusz Kossak ( ) As many other painters creating in the period of national captivity, he tried to paint with the aim of ‘lifting up the heart’. Juliusz Kossak ( ) As many other painters creating in the period of national captivity, he tried to paint with the aim of ‘lifting up the heart’. He created a unique painter’s epic in which the main objects were steppes, battles, hunting and first of all horses. They bacame the symbol of freedom, verve, inspiration and Polish untamed spirit.

The Portrait of Tadeusz Kościuszko

The Portrait of Tadeusz Kościuszko

The Portrait of Prince Joseph Poniatowski on a horse

The Battle of Ignacewo – a painting created for Napoleon Bonaparte, who supported Poland. The Battle of Ignacewo – a painting created for Napoleon Bonaparte, who supported Poland.

The Battle of Parkany

Maksymilian Gierymski ( ) As a partcipant of the January Uprising in 1963 he knew what it means to fight without regular army. The artist showed his patriotism through presenting everyday life of insurgents, dressed in rags, often poorly armed.

The Insurrectionary Patrol on Picquet

Artur Grottger ( ) An artist who created scenes illustrating the January Uprising in 1963 against Russia and other invaders of Poland in a series of drawings – Warsaw I and Warsaw II.

ZYGMUNT’S SQUARE -Warsaw

A Peasant and the Gentry

Hammering scythes

The Farewell

ARTISTIC TASK Make some arts work titled ‘SUFFERING’, which will be your protest against agression, war and violence. Make some arts work titled ‘SUFFERING’, which will be your protest against agression, war and violence. In your work use various artistic techniques such as drawing, painting, collage: coloured or black and white photos from magazines or newspapers. In your work use various artistic techniques such as drawing, painting, collage: coloured or black and white photos from magazines or newspapers. You can work individually or in groups. You can work individually or in groups. Do you know any great artists who protested against war, violence, agression and suffering? Do you know any great artists who protested against war, violence, agression and suffering? What are their works?