Study of robes of Jaśko of Tęczyn for the painting ‘Queen’s Jadwiga’s Oath’ 1867

This is Józef Simmler’s preparatory “Study of robes of Jaśko of Tęczyn for the painting ‘Queen’s Jadwiga’s Oath’". While undated, it offers insights into Simmler’s artistic process and the cultural context of 19th-century Polish art. Simmler, who lived from 1823 to 1868, created this study during a period of intense national reflection in Poland, which was then under foreign partition. Historical paintings became a way to explore national identity. Here, Simmler meticulously draws the robes of Jaśko of Tęczyn, a nobleman, with a focus on texture and form. Consider the role clothing plays in signaling identity, particularly class and status. Jaśko's attire signifies his nobility, and the attention Simmler dedicates to it underscores the importance of these social hierarchies in historical narratives. By focusing on such details, Simmler invites us to consider how historical events are filtered through personal and social identities. What does it mean to represent a nation through its elite? This work encourages a dialogue about who gets remembered in history and how their stories are told.