woodcut, paper, 41.5 x 31 cm in light passe-partout, (passe-partout 55 x 45 cm); signed with bound monogram "JM" on woodcut plate p. d., and by xylographer, l. d.: J. Holewiński;
The assassination attempt in Rogozno on King Przemyslaw II was carried out on Ash Wednesday, February 8, 1296, when the court and the king were sleeping off the carnival celebrated the previous day. Surprised in his sleep, the king still managed to grab a gun but was seriously wounded. The attackers abducted him with them, but as he was bleeding badly they abandoned him on the way. Jan Matejko took a very casual approach to historical accounts. On his canvas the scene takes place in a parade hall, not in a bedroom, the king is fully clothed and conscious. There is an open battle going on, a sword duel between the attackers and the king and his entourage, although the superiority of the former is evident. Matejko also included figures of two terrified women in the painting: the wife of King Przemyslaw II, Margaret, and his daughter, Ryksa Elisabeth, later married to King Wenceslas II.
The graphic comes from Jan Matejko's "Album of Jan Matejko" published in 1876 by S. Leventhal, who wrote in the afterword: "The album included the finest paintings of the master, made in recent times, [....] the works were drawn on wood by Matejko himself " [...] the making of each such woodcut, such as Stefan Batory, the Sejm in Lublin , et.t.p. required six months of time each, not counting the time used to draw them on wood [...]The drawings on the woodcut plates were personally made by Jan Matejko, engraved by the most outstanding wood engravers of the time. The graphics come from the "Album of Jan Matejko" published in 1876 by Samuel Leventhal, who writes in the afterword, among other things, as follows: "The album included the finest 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. [Julian] Maszyński and [Stanisław] Witkiewicz, according to photographs taken from the originals, all other works were drawn on wood by Matejko himself " [...] the execution of each of such woodcuts, such as. Stefan Batory, Sejm in Lublin , etc. required six months of time each, not counting the time used to draw them on wood [...].
