Wladyslaw the Short 

Jan Matejko painted "Wladyslaw the Short" using oil on canvas, a traditional medium for historical narratives. The visible brushwork gives the scene an immediacy, as though we are witnessing a pivotal moment in real time. Consider the textures Matejko has created: the sheen of metal armor, the rough weave of cloth, and the soft skin of the figures. These reflect the material culture of the time, from the armorer's forge to the weaver's loom. The painting also embodies a great deal of labor – from the mining of ore to the fashioning of garments. Matejko's intense interest in the past speaks to Poland’s complex political situation. He was working at a time when Poland did not exist as a nation, having been partitioned between Russia, Prussia and Austria. By grounding his art in material and process, Matejko elevates the skilled work that made history possible, challenging the separation between craft and fine art.