In August 1890, Gozhkovsky wrote in his diary: “The artist began to draw kings.” This work was proposed by Matejko Vienna publisher Maurizio Perles, who planned to make the album “Kings of Poland – a collection of historical portraits.”
The artist, constantly experiencing financial difficulties, happily agreed to take it. He made 44 portraits of Polish rulers from Metko I to Stanislav August. Krakow historians Stanislav Smolka and August Sokolovsky supplemented them with scientific commentaries.
In Mateiko’s work, knowledge in the field of history and anthropometry proved extremely useful. For example, the figures of Casimir the Great and Queen Hedwigi he wrote, using information about the structure of their remains. After the death of the artist, “Kings of Poland” were published in color. Above is a portrait of Boleslaw III Krivostoy from this series.
Retrato de Boleslav III Krivoust – Jan Aloisy Mateyko 
Portrait de Boleslav III Krivoustoy – Jan Aloysy Matejko 
Reception of Jews in Poland by Jan Aloizy Mateiko 
Blind Vit Stvosh with granddaughter by Jan Aloizy Matejko 
The decline of Poland by Jan Aloiy Mateiko 
Portrait of Joseph Pembauer, pianist and music teacher by Gustav Klimt 
Constitution du 3 mai – Jan Aloysy Matejko 
Polish national costume by Jan Aloizy Matejko