Portrait of Nikodem Biernacki c. 1860

Józef Simmler painted this portrait of Nikodem Biernacki in oil. The artist came from Warsaw, Poland, which in the mid-19th century was part of the Russian Empire. Here we see a man holding a violin; he is dressed in formal attire, his expression suggests a cultivated sensitivity. The picture indexes the sitter’s social status, but more than this it represents him as an exemplar of Polish culture. During this time Poland was undergoing a cultural reawakening which promoted national identity through language, customs and the arts, including music. The production of portraits like this one contributed to a sense of national identity in the absence of political autonomy. Simmler’s paintings reflect an investment in conservative values and the institutions of art. As historians, we might examine similar portraits, alongside musical scores and literature from the period, in order to better understand the cultural and political context in which this artwork was created.