Jan MATEJKO (1838-1893), Sigismund Augustus in Lublin,1876

Jan MATEJKO (1838-1893), Sigismund Augustus in Lublin,1876woodcut, paper, 30 x 51 cm in light passe-partout, 43 x 64 cm; signed, bound monogram p.d. "JM "by xylographer l.d. "J.Styfi"The graphic comes from "Album of Jan Matejko" published in 1876 by S. Leventhal. Drawings on woodcut plates were personally made by Jan Matejko, engraved by the most outstanding wood engravers of the time.Salomon (Franciszek Salezy) Lewental (1841-1902) - Warsaw publisher and bookseller, founder of the weekly newspaper "Kłosy".Lewental wrote in his afterword: "The album included the most exquisite paintings of the master, made in recent times; with the exception of reproductions of Rejtan, Ivan the Terrible and the Bard of the Lyricist, reproduced most faithfully by Messrs. Maszyński and Witkiewicz, according to photographs taken from the originals, all other works were drawn on wood by Matejko himself " [...] the execution of each such woodcut, such as. Stefan Batory, Sejm in Lublin , et al. required six months of time each, not counting the time used to draw them on wood [...].Matejko's composition depicts one of the most important events in Polish history.Union of Lublin - an agreement between the states of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania concluded on July 1, 1569 at the General Sejm in Lublin. Referred to as a real union, unlike the previous ones, binding the two states only by the person of the ruler (personal union). It was adopted on June 28 and signed on July 1, 1569, finally ratified by the king on July 4, 1569.Article 3 of the confirmation of the Union of Lublin by Sigismund II Augustus, dated July 4, 1569, proclaimed: the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania is one inseparable and body, as well as an unbroken, but one and cohesive Republic, which has been brought together from two states and nations into one people.As a result, a state known in historiography as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was created - with a common monarch, coat of arms, parliament, currency, foreign and defense policy - separate treasury, offices, army and judiciary were retained. The act of the Union of Lublin is kept in the Central Archives of Historical Records.