Sketch of horse’s head for the painting “Zamoyski at Byczyna” 1883

This is Jan Matejko’s oil sketch of a horse’s head for the painting “Zamoyski at Byczyna,” made sometime in the late 19th century. The visible brushwork brings the image to life, suggesting the animal’s nervous energy before a battle. Matejko, who lived in Poland during a period of foreign occupation, was deeply invested in representing the nation’s history, as with his large-scale canvas depicting the Battle of Grunwald. Preparatory studies like this one are evidence of the amount of labor that went into these monumental paintings. We can see the hand of the artist in the confident application of paint, skillfully capturing the animal’s anatomy and expression. Yet it's important to remember that workshops like Matejko's relied on assistants to complete major works, each of whom brought their own skill to bear. This sketch allows us to appreciate the many layers of work involved in historical painting, both the artist's individual skill and the collaborative efforts of a studio.