Feast Wierzynek 

Jan Matejko made this lithograph, Feast Wierzynek, sometime before his death in 1893. It depicts a legendary 14th-century banquet in Kraków. Matejko, who was Polish, specialized in grand historical scenes, and he saw his art as a way to strengthen national identity during a time when Poland was partitioned and under foreign rule. In this light, the feast becomes symbolic. It's not just a party; it’s a representation of Poland's glorious past, a time of unity, power, and cultural exchange. The artist uses careful historical research to create an image packed with recognizable figures and details that would resonate with the Polish people. To understand this work more fully, historians delve into archives and period texts, comparing Matejko's version of the past with other accounts. This highlights how art is never just a neutral depiction, but a conscious construction of cultural memory.