''Rejtan, or the Fall of Poland'' () is an

oil painting Oil painting is a painting method involving the procedure of painting with pigments combined with a drying oil as the Binder (material), binder. It has been the most common technique for artistic painting on canvas, wood panel, or oil on coppe ...

by the Polish artist

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 ...

, finished in 1866, depicting the protest of

Tadeusz Rejtan Tadeusz Reytan (surname also alternatively spelled as ''Rejtan'', and rarely ''Reyten''; ; ; 20 August 1742 – 8 August 1780) was a nobleman from the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was a member of the Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commo ...

(''lower right'') against the

First Partition of Poland The First Partition of Poland took place in 1772 as the first of three partitions that eventually ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. The growth of power in the Russian Empire threatened the Kingdom of Prussia an ...

during the Partition Sejm of 1773. Tadeusz Rejtan was a member of 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 ...

Sejm The Sejm (), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (), is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of the Third Polish Republic since the Polish People' ...

, known for his opposition to the First Partition of Poland in 1773 by physically trying to prevent delegates from leaving the chamber to stop the ratification of the partition. The Sejm was heavily influenced by foreign powers, with delegates being bribed or threatened, while

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

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, ...

, and

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

justified their annexation of Polish territory as a response to the internal conflicts of the

Bar Confederation The Bar Confederation (; 1768–1772) was an association of Polish nobles (''szlachta'') formed at the fortress of Bar, Ukraine, Bar in Podolia (now Ukraine), in 1768 to defend the internal and external independence of the Polish–Lithuanian C ...

. Jan Matejko's composition depicts the scene in the manner of

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

history painting History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and B ...

, placing Rejtan in a central position with a dramatic gesture, surrounded by figures who appear complicit with the foreign demands, including members of the future

Targowica Confederation The Targowica Confederation (, , ) was a confederation established by Polish and Lithuanian magnates on 27 April 1792, in Saint Petersburg, with the backing of the Russian Empress Catherine II. The confederation opposed the Constitution of 3 May ...

and Russian ambassador

Nicholas Repnin Prince Nikolai or Nicholas Vasilyevich Repnin (; – ) was a Russian statesman and general from the Repnin princely family who played a key role in the dissolution of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth; the leading figure in the Repnin Sejm, ...

. Despite causing controversy and receiving mixed reviews at the time of its initial display to the public in 1866, Matejko's work was later recognized for its cultural significance in Poland, depicting themes of political resistance and critique. Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria subsequently acquired the painting, which was displayed in Vienna until 1920. The

Polish government The government of Poland takes the form of a Unitary state, unitary semi-presidential republic, semi-presidential Representative democracy, representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Poland, president is the head of state and t ...

bought the work in 1920, and since 1931, except for a brief period during World War II when it was

looted Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...

by the Germans, it has been on public display at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. Both a depiction of a historical moment, and an

allegory As a List of narrative techniques, literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a wikt:narrative, narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a meaning with moral or political signi ...

for the surrounding period of

Polish history The history of Poland spans over a thousand years, from Lechites, medieval tribes, Christianization of Poland, Christianization and Kingdom of Poland, monarchy; through Polish Golden Age, Poland's Golden Age, Polonization, expansionism and be ...

, the painting is one of Matejko's most famous works, and an iconic representation of an emotional protest.

Historical context

was a deputy in the

Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The General Sejm (, ) was the bicameral legislature of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was established by the Union of Lublin in 1569 following the merger of the legislatures of the two states, the Sejm of the Kingdom of Poland and the ...

in 1773, infamously known as the Partition Sejm. The Sejm convened to review the demands of the Commonwealth's three neighbours (the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

and the

Archduchy of Austria The Archduchy of Austria (; ) was a major Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, principality of the Holy Roman Empire and the nucleus of the Habsburg monarchy. With its capital at Vienna, the archduchy was centered at the Empire's southeastern periph ...

) in order to legalize their territorial demands, known as the

. The Sejm operated under duress, with the immediate threat of foreign forces present in the Commonwealth, and with a significant number of deputies either bribed or threatened by foreign diplomats. The three powers officially justified their actions as a compensation for dealing with a troublesome neighbor and restoring order through military intervention in the civil war (the War of Bar Confederation); in fact all three were interested in territorial gains. On 21 April that year, Rejtan, in a dramatic gesture at the Sejm, is said to have bared his chest and laid himself down in a doorway, blocking the way with his own body in a dramatic attempt to stop the other members from leaving the chamber where the debate was being held. Leaving the chamber would signify an end to the discussion, and the acceptance of the motion under discussion, i.e., to accept the foreign territorial demands.

Description

The painting portrays this scene, although as usual with Matejko's work, it sacrifices some historical reality for more dramatic presentation. It serves as an

for all three

Partitions of Poland The Partitions of Poland were three partition (politics), partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place between 1772 and 1795, toward the end of the 18th century. They ended the existence of the state, resulting in the eli ...

(1772, 1793, 1795) and portrays a number of major historical figures of this era. Rejtan is the most visible, occupying the entire right side of the painting, in the midst of his dramatic pose which has been compared to ''

Liberty Leading the People ''Liberty Leading the People'' ( ) is a painting of the Romantic era by the French artist Eugène Delacroix, commemorating the July Revolution of 1830 that toppled King Charles X (''r.'' 1824–1830). A bare-breasted “woman of the people” w ...

''. His position on this painting exemplifies the

golden ratio In mathematics, two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their summation, sum to the larger of the two quantities. Expressed algebraically, for quantities and with , is in a golden ratio to if \fr ...

. To his left, in the center, are the "traitors", many of them on the Russian payroll, and future members of the

Adam Poniński Adam Poniński may refer to: *Adam Poniński (1732-1798), Marshal of the Sejm, Deputy Crown Treasurer *Adam Poniński (1758-1816), prince, general, deputy {{DEFAULTSORT:Poninski, Adam ...

marshal of the Sejm The Marshal of the Sejm (, ) is the speaker (chair) of the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish Parliament. The office traces its origins to the 15th century. In modern Poland, the full title is Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (). ...

, pointing in red court dress, either demands that Rejtan leaves or points to the armed Russian guards outside the door; he holds a simple wooden walking stick instead of a more elaborate marshall's staff, which Rejtan stole a day earlier. Behind him are bishop

Ignacy Massalski Prince Ignacy Massalski () (1726–1794) was a Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Polish-Lithuanian szlachcic, nobleman. Ignacy became a Catholic Church, Catholic Priesthood (Catholic Church), priest and was named Bishop of Vilnius by Pope Clement ...

and Prince Antoni Stanisław Czetwertyński-Światopełk. To his right, Hetman Franciszek Ksawery Branicki hides his face in his hands; which likely was Matejko's solution for a prosaic problem—he probably did not have access to a likeness of Branicki. Szczęsny Potocki, with the blue sash, looks to the ground, embarrassed. Behind the overturned chair, his father,

Franciszek Salezy Potocki Franciszek Salezy Potocki (1700 – 22 October 1772) was a Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Polish szlachta, nobleman, diplomat, politician and knight of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland), Order of the White Eagle, awarded on 3 August 1750, i ...

, also embarrassed, drops a quill pen and looks away. Between the two Potockis

Jacek Małachowski Jacek Małachowski (; 25 August 1737 – 27 March 1821) was a Polish nobleman, politician and administrator as well as Polish chancellor. He was the son of Jan Małachowski, also a Polish chancellor. One of his four brothers was Count Stanis ...

is engaged in discussion with Samuel Korsak, while Karol Radziwiłł simply observes the situation, amused. On the ground, turned over, lies an armchair, with Branicki's hat and a coin purse, from which the coins spill towards Poniński, alluding to the real reason he is intent on concluding the debate. To the left of the elder Potocki, the seated

primate of Poland This is a list of archbishops of the Archdiocese of Gniezno, who are simultaneously primates of Poland since 1418.Michał Jerzy Poniatowski, is engaged in a conversation with the chancellor

Michał Fryderyk Czartoryski Prince Michał Fryderyk Czartoryski (1696–1775) was a Polish nobleman, the Duke of Klewań and , magnate, and Knight of the Order of the White Eagle (from 1726). He headed Poland's Czartoryski " Familia". He served as Steward of Lithuania fr ...

, both ignoring the disruption. Behind them in the blue waistcoat, King

Stanisław August Poniatowski Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 February 1798), known also by his regnal Latin name Stanislaus II Augustus, and as Stanisław August Poniatowski (), was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuani ...

, annoyed, stands up from the throne, wanting to leave, and looking at his pocket watch. From the gallery, the scene is observed by one of the main architects of the partitions,

Russian ambassador This is a list of diplomatic missions of Russia. These missions are subordinate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia), Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Russia, Russian Federation has one of the largest networks of embassies and cons ...

. He is seated between two ladies, likely Izabela Lubomirska and either Elżbieta Grabowska or Izabela Czartoryska. To his right, another important symbol is shown in the painting of Russian Tsarina Catherine of Russia. Finally, in the open doors, behind Rejtan, stands a Russian soldier (although in reality the Sejm was "guarded" not by Russian, but by

Prussian Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, the House of Hohenzoll ...

troops). The only person clearly sympathetic to Rejtan is a young man in the middle of the room, holding in his hands a saber and a

rogatywka ''Rogatywka'' (; sometimes translated as '' peaked cap'') is the Polish generic name for a peaked, four-pointed cap used by various Polish military formations throughout the ages. It is a distant relative of its 18th-century predecessor, th ...

, symbolizing the supporters of the anti-Russian

, and future insurgents from the

Polish Uprisings This is a chronological list of wars in which Poland or its predecessor states of took an active part, extending from the reign of Mieszko I (960–992) to the present. This list does not include peacekeeping operations (such as UNPROFOR, UNTAES o ...

in the

Russian partition The Russian Partition (), sometimes called Russian Poland, constituted the former territories of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that were annexed by the Russian Empire in the course of late-18th-century Partitions of Poland. The Russian ac ...

Reception and analysis

Matejko began work on this painting in August 1864 and finished it in November 1866. It was one of many paintings portraying key historical moments in the

history of Poland The history of Poland spans over a thousand years, from Lechites, medieval tribes, Christianization of Poland, Christianization and Kingdom of Poland, monarchy; through Polish Golden Age, Poland's Golden Age, Polonization, expansionism and be ...

that he would create over his life. Matejko however did not simply illustrate the history, he intended his paintings to have powerful educational and emotional values. The work caused a scandal in contemporary, still-partitioned Poland; it was discussed even before its unveiling. It offended a number of society figures, many tracing direct lineage to the major

magnate The term magnate, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...

families whose members are portrayed in the painting as traitors to the Polish cause. There were a number of critical reviews of the work in the contemporary press, Matejko received anonymous threats, and some aristocrats are said to have considered buying the painting only to destroy it. Some accused him of defeatism, pessimism, exploiting public sentiment over a historical scandal for contemporary publicity; it was thus criticized by notable artists such as

Józef Ignacy Kraszewski Józef Ignacy Kraszewski (28 July 1812 – 19 March 1887) was a Polish novelist, journalist, historian, publisher, painter, and musician. Born in Warsaw into a noble family, he spent much of his youth with his maternal grandparents in Romanów ...

and

Cyprian Norwid Cyprian Kamil Norwid (; – 23 May 1883) was a Polish poet, dramatist, painter, sculptor, and philosopher. He is now considered one of the four most important Polish Romanticism, Polish Romantic poets, though scholars still debate whether he is ...

. In Paris, a French-Polish aristocrat, Count Alexandre Joseph Colonna-Walewski, campaigned against including it in an exhibition. The painting, however, quickly garnered supporters, who in turn reproduced modified copies of it, replacing historical figures with major contemporary critics. Responding to the public outcry, Matejko painted a response—a painting titled '' Judgement on Matejko'' (''Wyrok na Matejkę'', 1867), in which he portrayed his execution by some of his most vocal critics. Serious art critics had less emotional, but also mixed, opinions of the work. It was received less favourably by

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 ...

and

Stanisław Tarnowski Count Stanisław Tarnowski (7 November 1837 – 31 December 1917) was a Polish nobleman (''szlachcic''), historian, literary critic and publicist. Life He was born on 7 November 1837 and hailed from an aristocratic family. His father was Ja ...

, but praised by painters

Henryk Siemiradzki Henryk Hektor Siemiradzki (24 October 1843 – 23 August 1902) was a Polish painter. He spent most of his active creative life in Rome. Best remembered for his monumental academic art, he is particularly known for his depictions of scenes from th ...

and

Artur Grottger Artur Grottger (11 November 1837 – 13 December 1867) was a Polish Romantic painter and graphic artist, one of the most prominent artists of the mid 19th century under the partitions of Poland, despite a life cut short by incurable illness. B ...

. Comments of Wojciech Korneli Stattler are interpreted by different authors as either praise, or critique. In Paris, displayed at '' Exposition Universelle'', 1867 the painting received a gold medal. While in Poland the painting's context and message was clearly understood, the work, displayed in Paris, proved to be too obscure for the audience there, with few understanding the complex, historical context; some French critics interpreted it as a painting of a gambling hall. It is said, however, to have been well understood by the Russian visitors to the French gallery, some of whom are said to have been interested in acquiring the painting, which was commended by Poles as "they bought the real ones, might as well buy the painted ones, too". Eventually, however, the painting was acquired by Emperor

Franz Joseph I of Austria Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I ( ; ; 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the Grand title of the emperor of Austria, other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 1848 until his death ...

for 50,000 franks. It was shown at a gallery in Vienna, and eventually ended up at the Hofmuseum. Thanks to the efforts of minister

Juliusz Twardowski Juliusz is a Polish male given name. Notable people with the name include: * Juliusz Bardach (1914–2010), Polish legal historian *Juliusz Bursche (1862–1942), bishop of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland * Juliusz Bogdan Deczkowski ...

it was purchased by the government of the

Second Polish Republic The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 7 October 1918 and 6 October 1939. The state was established in the final stage of World War I ...

in 1920. As part of the Wawel Royal Castle National Art Collection it has been on a public display in the Royal Castle in Warsaw since 1931, with the exception of the period of

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 ...

, when it was briefly looted by the Nazis. The painting is usually interpreted as criticism of the Russian interference in Polish political affairs, and the collaboration of treasonous Polish aristocrats. By the end of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

it was already seen as a priceless artifact of Polish culture. The painting was positively interpreted in communist Poland as a symbol of critique of the Polish nobility, blamed for their selfishness leading to the partitions. More recently, the painting has been interpreted as the symbol of solitary protest, and a moral justification of dissent, even when such a protest is known to be futile, ignored by most. It has also been described as an iconic picture of an emotional protest and a symbol of desperate, patriotic protest. In the 1980s the painting inspired a

protest song A protest song is a song that is associated with a movement for protest and social change and hence part of the broader category of ''topical'' songs (or songs connected to current events). It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre. ...

Jacek Kaczmarski Jacek Marcin Kaczmarski (22 March 1957 – 10 April 2004) was a Polish singer, songwriter, poet and author. Life He was the son of painter Anna Trojanowska-Kaczmarska, a Pole of Jewish background, and the artist Janusz Kaczmarski. Kaczmarski ...

. Over time, the painting has become famous in Poland; Walter M. Cummins notes that the scene from this work was "made familiar to every Polish child by

his His or HIS may refer to: Computing * Hightech Information System, a Hong Kong graphics card company * Honeywell Information Systems * Hybrid intelligent system * Microsoft Host Integration Server Education * Hangzhou International School, ...

frequently reproduced painting".

References

{{Authority control 1866 paintings Paintings by Jan Matejko Scandals in Poland 19th-century allegorical paintings Allegorical paintings by Polish artists Paintings in the Royal Castle, Warsaw Cultural depictions of Polish people Cultural depictions of politicians