Jadvyga

CZARTORYSKA IZABELLA, PIELGRZYM W DOBROMILU CZYLI NAUKI WIEJSKIE, WILNO, 1861.

This lithograph was printed in the 1861 Vilnius edition of the novella Pielgrzym w Dobromilu czyli nauki wiejskie (Pilgrim from Dobromil) by Izabela Elżbieta Czartoryska (between pp. 88 and 89). This didactic narrative was written for schoolchildren in various parishes, mainly peasants, with the aim of giving them a useful and meaningful book to read. It was essentially a fictionalised history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, told by a pilgrim in a way that would appeal to young people. Written in 1817, the first edition of the book came out in Warsaw either at the end of 1818 or at the beginning of 1819, and is considered to be the first book published in Poland illustrated with lithographs (the first edition had 40 illustrations). These illustrations are a very important part of the book, and helped to establish its popularity. The book went through many editions with different publishers; interestingly, the illustrations were also changed. The 1852 Warsaw edition used a lithograph portrait of Jadvyga by Wincenty Smokowski. Jan Zenkiewicz (1825–1888) took some of the features of the beautiful queen drawn by him, but came up with his own version. His work stands out through the expression of her character: his Jadwiga has more noble features, with a more modest and dignified bearing. The inscription below the image reads: ‘Jadwiga, the beautiful, kind and brave daughter of Louis’. It reflects the character of the queen as it is portrayed in the book. The book extols the union of Poland and Lithuania, which was seen as originating in the marriage between Jadwiga and Jogaila, owing to which Jadwiga is especially idealised.

Text author Rūta Janonienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album MORE THAN JUST BEAUTY (2012). Compiler and author Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, RES PUBLICA (2018). Compiler and author Rūta Janonienė

CZARTORYSKA IZABELLA, PIELGRZYM W DOBROMILU CZYLI NAUKI WIEJSKIE, WILNO, 1861.

This lithograph was printed in the 1861 Vilnius edition of the novella Pielgrzym w Dobromilu czyli nauki wiejskie (Pilgrim from Dobromil) by Izabela Elżbieta Czartoryska (between pp. 88 and 89). This didactic narrative was written for schoolchildren in various parishes, mainly peasants, with the aim of giving them a useful and meaningful book to read. It was essentially a fictionalised history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, told by a pilgrim in a way that would appeal to young people. Written in 1817, the first edition of the book came out in Warsaw either at the end of 1818 or at the beginning of 1819, and is considered to be the first book published in Poland illustrated with lithographs (the first edition had 40 illustrations). These illustrations are a very important part of the book, and helped to establish its popularity. The book went through many editions with different publishers; interestingly, the illustrations were also changed. The 1852 Warsaw edition used a lithograph portrait of Jadvyga by Wincenty Smokowski. Jan Zenkiewicz (1825–1888) took some of the features of the beautiful queen drawn by him, but came up with his own version. His work stands out through the expression of her character: his Jadwiga has more noble features, with a more modest and dignified bearing. The inscription below the image reads: ‘Jadwiga, the beautiful, kind and brave daughter of Louis’. It reflects the character of the queen as it is portrayed in the book. The book extols the union of Poland and Lithuania, which was seen as originating in the marriage between Jadwiga and Jogaila, owing to which Jadwiga is especially idealised.

Text author Rūta Janonienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album MORE THAN JUST BEAUTY (2012). Compiler and author Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, RES PUBLICA (2018). Compiler and author Rūta Janonienė