John I Albert (Portrait Study) - Jan Matejko
Archival giclée
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Description
A focused portrait study of King John I Albert by the Polish historical painter Jan Matejko, capturing the monarch with direct, expressive brushwork.
This portrait study depicts John I Albert, the King of Poland who reigned from 1492 to 1501. Jan Matejko, a painter known for his focus on Polish historical figures, produced this work as part of his extensive series documenting the monarchs of Poland. The composition focuses on the facial features and the regal attire of the sovereign, capturing a sense of individual character rather than mere ceremonial representation.
The subject wears a dark, fur-trimmed garment and a decorative cap, typical of the period attire Matejko researched for his historical canvases. The brushwork is direct and confident, showing the artist's ability to render texture and light across the skin and fabric. The background remains neutral, which directs the viewer's attention to the expression of the monarch. Matejko often created these smaller studies to refine the likenesses of figures before incorporating them into larger, multi-figure compositions.
Matejko was a central figure in the Polish art scene during the nineteenth century. His work often sought to remind his contemporaries of the history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This specific study demonstrates his technical skill in portraiture and his dedication to historical accuracy. The palette is restrained, relying on earthy tones and deep shadows to define the form of the face. By focusing on the psychological presence of the king, Matejko provides a humanised view of a historical figure often seen only in formal, stiff depictions. This print captures the nuances of the original oil painting, preserving the texture of the brushstrokes and the subtle shifts in tone that define the king's features.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
John I Albert (Portrait Study) - Jan Matejko
Artist Biography
Jan Matejko
Matejko was born in Krakow in 1838 to a Czech father and a half-German, half-Polish mother. Despite being only one-quarter Polish by blood, his household was fiercely patriotic: Polish books, portraits of Polish heroes, and a brother who followed General Jozef Bem into the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 (and died in battle). He enrolled at the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts at fourteen, studying under Wojciech Stattler. He never mastered a foreign language and struggled even with Polish, which made the public appearances demanded of him throughout his career an ordeal.
His ambition was to paint Polish history on a monumental scale. Stanczyk (1862) showed the royal jester alone with the news of a military defeat, a painting that reads as an editorial cartoon stretched to the size of a wall. Battle of Grunwald (1878) and Rejtan (1866) followed, each canvas an argument about national identity dressed as historical spectacle. Wilhelm von Kaulbach's method of "historical symbolism", which prioritised interpretation over documentary accuracy, shaped Matejko's approach. His brother Franciszek, a historian at the Jagiellonian Library, fed him archival detail.
As director of the Krakow School of Fine Arts, he trained over eighty students. Maurycy Gottlieb, Jacek Malczewski, Jozef Mehoffer and Stanislaw Wyspianski all passed through his studio; several became leading figures in the Young Poland movement, earning Matejko the title "Father of Young Poland". In 1887 he attended the opening of Queen Jadwiga's sarcophagus to sketch her skull for a portrait. He died in 1893, aged fifty-five.
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