Stanczyk, 1862 Jan Matejko (1838-1893)

We create our paintings with museum quality and covering the highest academic standards. Once we get your order, it will be entirely hand-painted with oil on canvas. All the materials we use are the highest level, being totally artist graded painting materials and linen canvas.

We will add 1.6" (4 cm) additional blank canvas all over the painting for stretching.

High quality and detailing in every inch are time consuming. The reproduction of Jan Matejko also needs time to dry in order to be completely ready for shipping, as this is crucial to not be damaged during transportation.
Based on the size, level of detail and complexity we need 7-8 weeks to complete the process.

In case the delivery date needs to be extended in time, or we are overloaded with requests, there will be an email sent to you sharing the new timelines of production and delivery.

TOPofART wants to remind you to keep patient, in order to get you the highest quality, being our mission to fulfill your expectations.

We not stretch and frame our oil paintings due to several reasons:
Painting reproduction is a high quality expensive product, which we cannot risk to damage by sending it being stretched.
Also, there are postal restrictions, regarding the size of the shipment.
Additionally, due to the dimensions of the stretched canvas, the shipment price may exceed the price of the product itself.

You can stretch and frame your painting in your local frame-shop.

Once the painting Stanczyk is ready and dry, it will be shipped to your delivery address. The canvas will be rolled-up in a secure postal tube.

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The paintings we create are only of museum quality. Our academy graduated artists will never allow a compromise in the quality and detail of the ordered painting. TOPofART do not work, and will never allow ourselves to work with low quality studios from the Far East. We are based in Europe, and quality is our highest priority.

The figure at the heart of this painting immediately commands attention: the jester dressed in a subdued red costume, seated in an ornate chair, lost in deep reflection. His posture exudes both resignation and quiet anger, a marked contrast to the lively gathering that unfolds in the next room. On the table beside him, scattered letters and a rumpled cloth suggest unwelcome news—perhaps the critical event that has brought him to this pensive state. In the distance, figures swathed in warm light appear oblivious to the jester’s distress, immersed in their festivity, while the solitary window behind him offers a glimpse of Krakow’s skyline veiled in dark tones.

The use of color reveals an intriguing tension: the jester’s scarlet attire is both vivid and brooding. Saturated reds merge into velvety shadows, underscoring a mood that wavers between defiance and sorrow. Meanwhile, patches of gold and amber in the background highlight the revelers’ carefree world, reinforcing the emotional gulf between them. The painting’s depths are further enhanced by the subtle interplay of blacks and earth browns, which deepen the sense of interior gloom. These choices compel the viewer to sense the profound weight of the news that burdens the jester’s mind.

Matejko’s brushwork is meticulous, avoiding overly smooth transitions in favor of finely woven strokes that impart richness to every surface. The tactile detailing of the jester’s garments, along with the grain of the wooden chair, contributes to a striking realism that anchors the painting’s historical elements. Yet there remains a faint suggestion of the painter’s romantic impulses: the swirling drapery, the partially opened window, and the letter’s script all point to an artist who merges historical fidelity with a softly dramatic flair.

Compositionally, Stańczyk forms the painting’s nucleus. He sits at a lower vantage point, drawing the eye first, before one notices the illuminated figures in the distant hall. This arrangement accentuates his isolation, making his expression of concern all the more potent. The scattered objects—letter, jester’s scepter, and disordered drapery—guide our gaze around the canvas, reflecting the upheaval unfolding in the broader narrative of the period. Though completed in 1862, the painting’s references to a Poland in flux resonate across eras, reminding viewers of how private grief can mirror national uncertainty.