POLISH RULERS’ GALLERY
This is an interpretation of drawings from the series „Gallery of Polish Kings and Princes” made in pencil by Jan Matejko. The colour version of the rulers’ portraits was painted in watercolour by our publishing house’s painter, Marek Michna.

The originals of Matejko’s images are black and white. Although the artist intended to make a colour version of the Gallery, he did not do so. Such versions were created after his death by his students – Leonard Stroynowski and Zygmunt Papieski. The artist gave the rulers’ figures suggestive character traits that make them recognisable to posterity. In the representations he made, he additionally included rich symbolism in the staffage, props, attributes, details of clothing and the appearance of individual figures, which has only been fully understood today.