Jan MATEJKO (1838-1893), Set of 4 woodcuts

1. Władysław Warneńczyk
40 x 32 cm (in light passe-partout);
signed p. d. "JM" and by the xylographer l. d. "J. Styfi";

2. Louis I, King of Hungary and Poland
41 x 33 cm (in light passe-partout);
signed l. d. "JM" and by xylographer p. d. "J. Styfi";

3. Bolesław the Chaste
38 x 16 cm (in light passe-partout);
signed l. g. "JM" and inscription "BOLESLAUS PUDICUS";

4. queen Bona
33 x 27 cm (clear passe-partout);
signed p. d. "JM" and by xylographer l. d. "Holewiński."
The graphics come from the "Album of Jan Matejko" published in 1876 by S. Leventhal. The drawings on woodcut plates were personally made and signed by Jan Matejko, engraved by the most outstanding wood engravers of the 19th century.
Leventhal 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 of such woodcuts as, for example. "Stefan Batory", "Sejm in Lublin", etc. required six months of time each, not counting the time used to draw them on wood [...]".
Salomon (Franciszek Salezy) Lewental (1841-1902), Warsaw publisher and bookseller, founder of the weekly newspaper "Kłosy".