Studies of Jagiełło’s overcoat for the painting ‘Queen Jadwiga’s Oath’ 1867

Curator: What strikes me immediately is the sheer fragility of it. Like catching a thought before it solidifies. Editor: That's beautifully put. We’re looking at Józef Simmler’s 1867 pencil drawing, "Studies of Jagiełło’s overcoat for the painting ‘Queen Jadwiga’s Oath’." It's really a fascinating glimpse into his process, a behind-the-scenes look at historical painting. Curator: Exactly! It feels so much more intimate than the finished work could ever be. You see the searching, the redrawing...the human element, really. There's this ghost of an overcoat sleeve on the right, hovering. I almost prefer this fragmented, vulnerable view. Editor: Absolutely. And consider the power dynamics embedded in the narrative that Simmler ultimately presents. Jadwiga's oath – a queen in supplication, kneeling before a king who holds the symbolic power of law and lineage. This drawing offers, if unintentionally, some respite from that drama. The studies of hands and garments speak of craft. Curator: Craft yes, but also imagination, invention! You can almost see Simmler, hunched over, imagining the weight and feel of the fabric, even though it’s only in his mind. It's like a dance between observation and pure creation, a meditation on power itself. I keep thinking about the role of the artist. Editor: And by showing us the stages of preparation, Simmler invites us into a world not typically seen by viewers of his period. But let's remember who Jadwiga was – a woman ruler, making strategic alliances and navigating patriarchy in her own right. Perhaps the studies suggest the weight of this expectation on her body too. Curator: It's incredible how much unfolds from these light pencil lines! So much more than a preliminary sketch – it has a life of its own, breathing with the ghosts of intention and potential. I will spend my life searching for all the "fragile" elements in grand artworks! Editor: Indeed. It serves as a reminder that history isn’t just grand pronouncements but rather a collection of nuanced choices, delicate studies, and often contested representations. These ephemeral lines remind us of the very labor behind myth-making, who can participate in its processes and who cannot.