Sketch of the figure of Gniewosz of Dalewice and a nobleman for the painting ‘Queen Jadwiga’s Oath’ 1867

Józef Simmler sketched this image of Gniewosz of Dalewice and a nobleman as a study for his painting ‘Queen Jadwiga’s Oath.’ Simmler worked in Poland at a time when the nation was partitioned between Russia, Prussia and Austria. Historical paintings played an important role in sustaining Polish national identity at a time when Poland didn’t exist as a country. Here, Simmler seems to be concerned with the relationship between nakedness and the performance of power. The figure on the left is unclothed and vulnerable while the figure on the right is clothed, holding a weapon, and seemingly about to strike. To understand Simmler’s visual language, we might research the ways the Polish szlachta, or noble class, used historical narratives to legitimize its power, and contrast this with the ways Polish nationalism was also associated with liberation and equality. This would help us to understand whether Simmler was commenting on social structures of his own time, or appealing to conservative ideas of Polish identity.