Abstract
Jan Matejko is one of Poland's most outstanding painters. He painted big canvases representing the history of Poland at its moments of greatest glory or most dismal decline. He created a Romantic vision of the history of Poland and wanted to print it deeply in the imagination of every Pole at a time when the existence of the Polish identity was threatened. Besides his artistic talent, we must also focus on the social function of his work, dedicated to Poland: "Art is a weapon of sorts; one ought not to separate art from the love of one's homeland".
