Nude study of guardian to the painting ‘Katarzyna Jagiellonka in Gripsholm Prison’ 1858

Józef Simmler made this nude study of a male figure in pencil, as preparation for his painting ‘Katarzyna Jagiellonka in Gripsholm Prison’. Simmler painted during a time of national fervor in Poland, when it was under foreign rule. Artists often turned to historical subjects to evoke a sense of Polish identity and pride. Here, the male figure is depicted as a classical guardian. His nudity, a reference to ancient Greek and Roman art, elevates him beyond the constraints of contemporary dress and time. Simmler’s choice to create a nude study also reflects the academic practices of the 19th century, where the male nude was a subject of artistic and intellectual inquiry, a symbol of beauty, strength, and the ideal human form. However, we must also consider the social and cultural norms of the time, when the male gaze often dominated artistic representations. Ultimately, this study offers a glimpse into the complex interplay between history, identity, and artistic representation in 19th-century Poland.