Twardowski conjuring the spirit of Barbara for Sigismund Augustus, sketch 1884

Jan Matejko painted this sketch, “Twardowski conjuring the spirit of Barbara for Sigismund Augustus,” in the 19th century. The composition is dominated by a murky palette, punctuated by flickering candlelight that casts long, eerie shadows. The textures are roughly rendered, giving the scene an unsettling, ghostly ambiance. The painting stages a moment of spectral communication, where the boundaries between the living and the dead are blurred. The ghostly apparition of Barbara destabilizes the established order, challenging the viewer to question the nature of reality and perception. The summoning ritual underscores a tension between reason and the supernatural, reflecting the philosophical anxieties prevalent during Matejko's time. Ultimately, it is the sketch's formal qualities – its shadowy depths and fleeting light – that most powerfully convey a sense of mystery and the unknown. The painting functions as a potent symbol of cultural anxieties and philosophical questioning, inviting endless interpretation and re-evaluation.