The ''Prussian Homage'' () is an
oil on canvas painting by
Polish painter
Jan Matejko
Jan Alojzy Matejko (; also known as Jan Mateyko; 24 June 1838 – 1 November 1893) was a Polish painter, a leading 19th-century exponent of history painting, known for depicting nodal events from Polish history. His works include large scale ...
painted between 1879 and 1882 in
Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
(then part of
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
). The painting depicts the "
Prussian Homage
The Prussian Homage or Prussian Tribute (; ) was the formal investiture of Albert, Duke of Prussia ( 1490-1568), with his Duchy of Prussia as a fief of the Kingdom of Poland that took place on 10 April 1525 in the then capital of Kraków, Kin ...
", a significant political event from the time of the
Renaissance in Poland
The Renaissance in Poland ( , ; ) lasted from the late 15th to the late 16th century and is widely considered to have been the Golden Age of Polish culture. Ruled by the Jagiellonian dynasty, the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland (from 1569 part of ...
in which
Albrecht of Hohenzollern, the Duke of
Prussia
Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
paid tribute and swore allegiance to King
Sigismund I the Old
Sigismund I the Old (, ; 1 January 1467 – 1 April 1548) was List of Polish monarchs, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until his death in 1548. Sigismund I was a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty, the son of Casimir IV of P ...
in
Kraków's market square on 10 April 1525. Matejko depicted over thirty important figures of the
Polish Renaissance period, taking the liberty of including several who were not actually present at the event.
The painting glorifies this event in
Poland's past and
its culture, and the majesty of its kings. At the same time, the painting has darker undertones, reflecting the troubled times that befell Poland in the late eighteenth century, for the
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...
would become one of the
partitioning powers that ended the independence of Poland. The painting was seen by some as anti-Prussian, foretelling its perceived betrayal of Poland; others have noted it is also critical of Poland, as Matejko included signs that signify this seemingly triumphant moment was a hollow, wasted victory. Matejko created his painting to remind others about the history of the no-longer-independent country he loved, and about the changing fates of history. The painting is counted among his masterpieces.
History
Matejko began to paint the ''Prussian Homage'' on
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas, the festival commemorating nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus. Christmas Day is observance of Christmas by country, observed around the world, and Christma ...
1879 and finished it in 1882.
He donated it to the Polish nation
[Technically, the painting was donated to the city of ]Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
. during the meeting of the
Diet of Galicia (''Sejm Krajowy'') in
Lwów
Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...
(Lviv) on 7 October 1882
to start a collection designed to revive the remodelling of
Wawel Castle
The Wawel Royal Castle (; ''Zamek Królewski na Wawelu'') and the Wawel Hill on which it sits constitute the most historically and culturally significant site in Poland. A fortified residency on the Vistula River in Kraków, it was established o ...
.
It was subsequently exhibited in
Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
, Lwów and
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
, as well as in
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
,
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
,
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
, and most notably in
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
and
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
.
[ When it returned to Kraków in 1885, it was temporarily exhibited in the Sukiennice Museum because the Royal Wawel Castle was occupied at that time by the Austrian army, as Kraków was part of the Austrian partition of Poland.]
Because of the pro-Polish and anti-Prussian character of the painting German emperor William I objected to a proposal to reward Matejko. During this period, Prussia was trying to suppress Polish culture in its territory and Germanise it.[ During ]World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the Nazi
Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
s systematically tried to destroy all Polish cultural artefacts in occupied Poland
' (Norwegian language, Norwegian: ') is a Norwegian political thriller TV series that premiered on TV 2 (Norway), TV2 on 5 October 2015. Based on an original idea by Jo Nesbø, the series is co-created with Karianne Lund and Erik Skjoldbjærg. ...
. This painting, together with Matejko's painting of the Battle of Grunwald
The Battle of Grunwald was fought on 15 July 1410 during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. The alliance of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respectively by King Władysław II Jagiełło (Jogaila), a ...
, was on their "most wanted" list. Fortunately it was hidden and safeguarded throughout the war in the town of Zamość
Zamość (; ; ) is a historical city in southeastern Poland. It is situated in the southern part of Lublin Voivodeship, about from Lublin, from Warsaw. In 2021, the population of Zamość was 62,021.
Zamość was founded in 1580 by Jan Zamoyski ...
.
For most of the twentieth and at the beginning of the twentieth-first centuries, the painting has been hung in the National Museum
A national museum can be a museum maintained and funded by a national government. In many countries it denotes a museum run by the central government, while other museums are run by regional or local governments. In the United States, most nati ...
gallery in the Sukiennice Museum in Kraków, where it is usually displayed in the Prussian Homage Hall.
Renovation work started in the Sukiennice Museum in June 2008. The painting previously had been restored in 1915 and 1938. During World War II it was damaged while it was at Zamość, and in 1945 it was renovated. In 1974, experts again tried to restore it to its original condition before it went on public exhibition in Moscow. The most recent restoration process took place between 2006 and 2008, when the painting was finally returned to its former glory.
In 2011, the painting was sent to Germany for an art exhibition entitled "Side by Side Poland – Germany", which was promoted as part of the ''1000 Years of Art and History'' project of Royal Warsaw Castle in cooperation with the Martin-Gropius-Bau
Martin-Gropius-Bau, commonly known as Gropius Bau, is an important exhibition space in Berlin, Germany. Originally a museum of applied arts, the building has been a listed historical monument since 1966. It is located at 7 Niederkirchnerstraße ...
exhibition hall in Berlin. It was on display there between 23 September 2011 and 9 January 2012.
Significance
This painting is considered among Matejko's most famous works and is also one of his largest canvases.[ It portrays an event of significant political triumph for Poland, the ]Prussian Homage
The Prussian Homage or Prussian Tribute (; ) was the formal investiture of Albert, Duke of Prussia ( 1490-1568), with his Duchy of Prussia as a fief of the Kingdom of Poland that took place on 10 April 1525 in the then capital of Kraków, Kin ...
, in which Poland was able to enforce its will over Prussia
Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
.[ Prussia later gained independence and turned against the ]Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
, becoming one of the nations that divided Poland among them. Matejko's painting was created during the partition period, when independent Poland had ceased to exist, and like many of Matejko's other works, it aimed to remind the Polish people
Polish people, or Poles, are a West Slavic ethnic group and nation who share a common History of Poland, history, Culture of Poland, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Central Europe. The preamble t ...
of their most famous historical triumphs.[
At the same time, the painting foreshadows the tragedies of the future through the gestures and facial expressions of certain characters.][ This is visible, for example, in the figures of King Sigismund I the Old and Albrecht Hohenzollern, who is kneeling before him.][ Sigismund is portrayed as a powerful and majestic figure but not threatening. He treats Albrecht lightly—signifying that this event was only a temporary victory and not a total, lasting domination that crushed his opponent.][ Albrecht's character is portrayed with many signs of his villainous intent. He kneels on both knees, which a duke should do only in front of a God, not a sovereign. This implies that he does not see Sigismund as a sovereign. He grips his standard strongly, but touches the Bible only lightly. The standard flies on a military ]lance
The English term lance is derived, via Middle English '' launce'' and Old French '' lance'', from the Latin '' lancea'', a generic term meaning a wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generic term meaning a spear">wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generi ...
, implying that Prussia had further military ambitions.[ Finally, there is a gauntlet on the ground, an implied challenge to Sigismund from Albrecht.][
Due to its criticism of Albrecht and the event it portrayed, the painting often is seen as strongly anti-Prussian.][ While it appears to glorify Poland, it is also critical of the country. Matejko went beyond portraying the glory of a historical event and attempted to convey hints of how the country's history would play out in the future. This event was merely a hollow victory that failed to secure Poland's future.][ Matejko shows that the homage was an empty gesture and that it was Prussia that exploited it rather than Poland.][ Nobody in the painting is smiling except a lady of the court who is engaged in idle gossip.][
The painting has been the subject of numerous art historical studies and has been reinterpreted through the works of artists such as Tadeusz Kantor.] In 1992, the ''Piwnica pod Baranami
The Piwnica pod Baranami () is a Polish literary cabaret located in Kraków, Poland. For over thirty years, in the People's Republic of Poland, Piwnica pod Baranami served as the most renowned political cabaret in the country, until the end of (an ...
'' cabaret group organized a historical re-enactment of the painting.[
]
Historical characters in the painting
Matejko depicted many important figures of the Polish Renaissance period including taking the liberty to include at least one who were not actually present at the event.[ In a similar vein, although the event portrayed took place in 1525, Matejko painted fragments of the Sukiennice in ]Renaissance style
Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of Ancient Greece, ancient Greek and ...
, a form that dates from the year 1555, after a fire which destroyed the building in its original Gothic style.[ St. Mary's Basilica is visible in the background.][
At the center of the painting, Albrecht, Duke of Prussia is kneeling before his maternal uncle King Sigismund I the Old of Poland.][ Sigismund Augustus is shown here as a 5-year-old boy wearing a red dress, held up by Piotr Opaliński, the court house tutor.][ Matejko portrayed ]Józef Szujski
Józef Szujski (16 June 1835 – 7 February 1883) was a Polish politician, historian, poet and professor of the Jagiellonian University.
Life
Szujski was born on 16 June 1835 in Tarnów. He studied at Tarnów, then at Kraków (1854) and at Vi ...
, professor of the Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University (, UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by Casimir III the Great, King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and one of the List of oldest universities in con ...
, as Opaliński.[ Thirty one other political figures contemporary with the event are also depicted,] including:
*Behind Albrecht (Albert), Duke of Prussia, are two other German rulers, his brother George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach with his hat in his right hand and their brother-in-law Frederick II of Legnica, whose face is only partially visible, who both joined Albrecht in the homage.[
*In the space between Frederick and Albrecht, was ]Castellan
A castellan, or constable, was the governor of a castle in medieval Europe. Its surrounding territory was referred to as the castellany. The word stems from . A castellan was almost always male, but could occasionally be female, as when, in 1 ...
Łukasz II Górka
Łukasz or Lukasz () is a Polish masculine given name, derived from Greek Λουκᾶς, Lukas.
Derived family names are Łukaszewski, Łukaszewicz/ Łukasiewicz/ Lukashevich, Lukash (as transliterated from Ukrainian), Lukashenko (Ukrainia ...
(the old, bearded man), who was a sympathizer with Prussia.[
*Albrecht's advisor, ]Commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...
Friedrich von Heydeck is behind the standard, waiting to receive it after the scene is over.[
*The Bishop of Kraków, ]Piotr Tomicki
Piotr Tomicki (1464 – 19 October 1535) was a Roman Catholic Bishop of Przemyśl and List of Bishops of Poznań, Poznań, Archbishop of Kraków, Vice-Chancellor of the Crown, and Royal Secretary. Celebrated as one of the most important represent ...
(wearing a bishop's mitre
The mitre (Commonwealth English) or miter (American English; American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, see spelling differences; both pronounced ; ) is a type of headgear now known as the traditional, ceremonial headdress of ...
) stands to the right of the King Sigismund.[
*The man holding up a sword is Hieronymus Jaroslaw Łaski, a diplomat and nephew of Archbishop Jan Łaski (1456–1531).][ Both men are shown to the right of the king, at the top of the crowd. Jan is separated from Hieronymous by Bishop Tomicki.][ Hieronymous is holding the sword with which Albrecht will be knighted stiffly as a warning to the Prussian ruler.][
*Duchess Anna Radziwiłł, ruler of ]Masovia
Mazovia or Masovia ( ) is a historical region in mid-north-eastern Poland. It spans the North European Plain, roughly between Łódź and Białystok, with Warsaw being the largest city and Płock being the capital of the region . Throughout the ...
, appears top left. Historically, the Duchess died in 1522 before the event occurred. However, Matejko included her in the painting to emphasize the connection between Masovia and Poland.[
* Janusz III of Masovia, the last Duke of Masovia of the ]Piast
The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I (–992). The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of King Casimir III the Great.
Branches of ...
line. He died at a very young age in 1526.[
*]Hedwig Jagiellon, Electress of Brandenburg
Hedwig Jagiellon (, , ; 15 March 1513 – 7 February 1573) was a princess of the Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569), Kingdom of Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty as a daughter of Sigismund I the Old ...
, who was daughter of Sigismund I the Old and his first wife Barbara Zápolya, and through him a cousin of Albrecht. Her parents planned her marriage to Prince Janusz. The death of the Duke ruined her plans. The character was modeled by Matejko's daughter Beata. She is seen just below Anna Radziwiłł at the top left of the painting.
* Mauritius Ferber, Bishop of Warmia, and Krzysztof Kreutzer, Prussian diplomat, are engaged in discussion just below and to the left of Hedwig.[ Ferber appears worried and makes a well-hidden gesture to repel evil; Kreutzer tries to calm him.][
*Queen ]Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen consort, Queen of Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569), Poland and List of Lithuanian consorts, Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund the Old, and Duchess of Bari and ...
appears center-left. Matejko used his wife Teodora as a model for the Queen.[
* Piotr Kmita Sobieński, Grand Marshal of the Crown and governor of Kraków, appears with his right hand raised purportedly a gesture to demand silence and order from the crowd.][
*]Przecław Lanckoroński
Przecław Lanckoroński () of Brzezie of Zadora coat of arms (died 10 June 1531) was a notable member of the Polish szlachta, a knight often identified as the first hetman of the Cossacks in service of Poland, as well as a landowner and staros ...
, starost
Starosta or starost (Cyrillic: ''старост/а'', Latin: ''capitaneus'', ) is a community elder in some Slavic lands.
The Slavic root of "starost" translates as "senior". Since the Middle Ages, it has designated an official in a leadersh ...
of Khmilnyk
Khmilnyk (, ; ; ) is a resort town, resort city in Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Khmilnyk Raion within the oblast. Population:
The town is situated in the upper part of the Southern Bug River, northeast o ...
, appears on horseback in the lower right of the painting.[ He is a notable military commander and his figure personifies the still-respectable military prowess of the Commonwealth.][Yet past his youth.][
*The old mustached man in white above Bishop Ferber and to the left of Duchess Anna is Prince ]Konstanty Ostrogski
Konstanty Iwanowicz Ostrogski ( – 10 August 1530) was a Ruthenian prince and magnate of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He later had the title of grand hetman of Lithuania from 11 September 1497 until his death in 1530.
Career
Ostrogski began ...
, Grand Hetman
''Hetman'' is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders (comparable to a field marshal or imperial marshal in the Holy Roman Empire). First used by the Czechs in Bohemia in the 15th century, ...
(top military commander) of Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
, Voivode
Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...
(governor) of Trakai
Trakai (; see Trakai#Names and etymology, names section for alternative and historic names) is a city and lake resort in Lithuania. It lies west of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania or just from the administrative limits of the Lithuanian capi ...
, and Castellan
A castellan, or constable, was the governor of a castle in medieval Europe. Its surrounding territory was referred to as the castellany. The word stems from . A castellan was almost always male, but could occasionally be female, as when, in 1 ...
of Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...
.[
*Located to the right of Prince Ostrogski and wearing a helmet is ]Jan Amor Tarnowski
Jan Amor Tarnowski (Latin: Joannes Tarnovius; 1488 – 16 May 1561) was a Polish people, Polish szlachta, nobleman, knight, military commander, military theoretician, and statesman of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. He was Grand Crown He ...
, the governor of Kraków who would later achieve high military office. This portrait was based on Stanisław Tarnowski, a professor of the Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University (, UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by Casimir III the Great, King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and one of the List of oldest universities in con ...
and literary historian who would publish Matejko's biography four years after his death.[
*The man taking coins from the tray is Andrzej Kościelecki, treasurer and Court Marshal, who skillfully managed the state finances.][ Looking proudly, unworried, seeing only victory, he symbolizes the importance and wealth of Polish officials of the period.][
*To the right of the large black figure of Opaliński is ]Krzysztof Szydłowiecki
Krzysztof Szydłowiecki (1467–1532) was a Polish noble (szlachcic), magnate, and Count of Szydłowiec.
He was courtier since 1496, Podstoli of Kraków, Treasurer and Marshal of the Court of Prince Zygmunt since 1505, Podkomorzy of Kr ...
who was one of King Sigismund's chief advisors in matters of foreign affairs.[ Holding the ]globus cruciger
The for, la, globus cruciger, cross-bearing orb, also known as ''stavroforos sphaira'' () or "the orb and cross", is an Sphere, orb surmounted by a Christian cross, cross. It has been a Christian Church, Christian symbol of authority since the M ...
, he was one of the main political figures in contemporary Polish and Prussian politics and his worried visage questions the honesty of the ceremony.[
*]Hetman
''Hetman'' is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders (comparable to a field marshal or imperial marshal in the Holy Roman Empire). First used by the Czechs in Bohemia in the 15th century, ...
Mikołaj Firlej, Castellan of Kraków, is located between Krzysztof Szydłowiecki and Andrzej Tęczyński.[ One of many characters with a worried expression, Firlej, a respected military leader, is likely considering the possibility of Prussia growing into a military power.][
* Andrzej Tęczyński, ]Ensign
Ensign most often refers to:
* Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality
* Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank
Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to:
Places
* Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada
* Ensign, Ka ...
of Kraków, who later became Castellan of Kraków, appears holding the banner in the top right corner.[ He is having difficulty holding the Polish flag unfolded, which once again foreshadows the troubles ahead.][
* Albrecht Goštautas (Olbracht Gasztołd), Chancellor of the ]Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...
and voivode of Vilnius, is barely visible in the top right of the painting.[The king entrusted him with the supervision of the drafting of the Statute of Lithuania.] His presence in the painting is intended to symbolize the wisdom of the king as a legislator.[
*Below the king sits ]Stańczyk
Stańczyk (c. 1480–1560) () was the most famous Polish court jester. He was employed by three Polish kings: Alexander, Sigismund the Old and Sigismund Augustus.
Name, identity and historicity
Scarcity of sources gave rise to four dis ...
. His worried face shows doubt that the homage will mean victory in the long run, and he is making a gesture to repel bad luck.[
*In the lower-left corner of the painting holding a document bearing the royal seal, stands Bartolommeo Berrecci, architect who rebuilt Royal Wawel Castle.][ Next to him is Seweryn Boner, an important burgher and banker.][ His face is one of the two self-portraits of Jan Matejko. The second is the face of the royal jester Stańczyk.][ As Berrecci, Matejko portrayed himself as a gray eminence, dominating the scene, with a royal ]scepter
A sceptre (or scepter in American English) is a staff or wand held in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia, signifying sovereign authority.
Antiquity
Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia
The '' Was'' and other ...
in his hand.[
]
Generic characters of some significance
Some generic characters of minor importance were also depicted by Matejko in the painting. The following personages are:
*An old Teutonic soldier is shown under Hedwig; he signifies the end of the Teutonic Order
The Teutonic Order is a religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious institution founded as a military order (religious society), military society in Acre, Israel, Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Sa ...
.[
*Underneath the soldier at the bottom of the painting, an executor or a city guard keeps watch on the crowd, ensuring no unrest will disrupt the proceedings.][
*At the top of the painting, a dove symbolizing peace can be seen.][
]
Notes
References
Further reading
*Halina Blak, Stanislaw Grodziski, ''Prussian Homage, painting by Jan Matejko,'' Literary Publishing. Kraków (1990)
*Halina Blak, ''The Prussian Homage by Jan Matejko.'' Warsaw (1977)
*
External links
*
* Wacław Staniszewsk,
O tych co uratowali Hołd Pruski
' hose who saved the Prussian Homage(fragment - full version perhaps in )
{{Authority control
Cultural history of Poland
Paintings by Jan Matejko
1882 paintings
Polish art
Germany–Poland relations
Paintings in the National Museum, Kraków
Cultural depictions of kings
Cultural depictions of Polish people
Cultural depictions of Stańczyk
Horses in art