Stańczyk (1862) | Jan Matejko

Описание: Stańczyk (1862) | Jan Matejko
National Museum, Warsaw

Not just a jester. Stańczyk was the court fool of King Sigismund I of Poland — but in Matejko’s vision, he becomes the conscience of a nation.

While the royal ball roars in the background, Stańczyk sits alone, heavy with thought. His solitude contrasts with the laughter beyond the door — a symbol of foresight in a blind world.

On the table lies a letter marked “Smolensk 1514” — the fall of Smolensk, a devastating loss for Poland. Through the window, a comet crosses the sky, omen of misfortune.

Matejko even painted Stańczyk with his own face, merging artist and prophet. His gaze pierces beyond his age — a silent witness to decline.

This is not comedy. It is tragedy masked in red. A portrait of truth in a world of illusions.