Man in an Old Polish costume – 5 sketches

The painter's skill in composing large historical scenes and the criticism of being closed to the transformations in European art of the time are intertwined in the attitude of a painter consistently sticking to his chosen artistic path. Widely known today for his large canvases, such as: Unia lubelska [Union of Lublin], Bitwa pod Grunwaldem [Battle of Grunwald] or Dziewica Orleańska [Maiden of Orleans], he met with criticism from his contemporaries. In 1884, the Weekly Review wrote: "Reasonable criticism should limit and neutralise the fatal influence of the director of the Kraków Academy on his students".

Whereas, in 1887, Witkacy expressed an unfavourable opinion in "Życie" [Life]: "Thus, without directly blaming Matejko, one must nevertheless firmly admit that to place him at the head of the only educational artistic institution in our country was to condemn it in advance to sterility and to judge an entire generation of artists to waste".

In the face of these critical opinions, we gain a completely different picture of the artist thanks to Włodzimierz Tetmajer and his conversation with Matejko. Matejko said the following about his student's work: "I can also see the sun and the contrasts of the shadow reflecting the sky, only I can't do it... I have other interests," he said after a while, "You have the air and the sun, and I will stay with the old kings... Well done, sir! It's good that you went this way, I like the painting, please finish it.

Witkacy's opinion changed with time, in 1908 he dedicated a book to Matejko, in which he appreciated the painter's skills.

The artist's drawing is distinguished by a characteristic line, the line led freely creates a tangle, from which a picture full of expression emerges. Costume is also important in Matejko's historical painting.

Klara Sadkowska