Jan Matejko (1838 - 1893), "Sigismund Augustus."

pencil on paper, 22 x 16.5 cm, signed with monogram and described in lower right corner: "JM | Zygmunt IIgi | August. King | Zygmunt August."

The image of Zymunt Augustus in the works of Jan Matejko is quite popular. The artist showed, among others, his youthful portraits, profile to the post of Polish kings, scenes with Barbara Radziwillowna, the Union of Lublin, the Prussian Homage (as a child), death scene. In the drawing Sigismund Augustus is still signed as a prince, which means that the sketch must have been for a scene before his coronation as king, perhaps for some version of "Sigismund Augustus and Barbara at the Radziwill Court in Vilnius."