The Oath

The Podolian-born artist Artur Grottger (1837–1867), who made probably the most famous series of prints about the 1863 insurrection, did not take part in it personally. From 1854–1865, he lived in Vienna and worked as an illustrator. He was not indifferent to the insurrection, however, and even intended to join the insurgents. He must have inherited his artist’s talent and the stance of an active supporter of the cause of national liberation from his father, who was also an artist and had participated in the 1831 uprising. Grottger’s home in Vienna became a refuge for rebels fleeing abroad, causing the Austrian government to persecute the artist. He was forced to leave the Austrian capital and look for work on various estates in Galicia; he travelled to Italy and France with the support of his patrons. He created two series of drawings in black and white chalk on cardboard, called ‘Poland’ (1863) and ‘Lithuania’ (1864–1866). The latter series of six drawings was shown in Lviv and Krakow, and in 1867 it was shown at the Paris International Exposition. The original drawings are now in the National Museum in Krakow. The main characters in the ‘Lithuania’ series are a family of peasant foresters who live in a shack in a forest and join the uprising. The composition The oath shows the rebels at night, deep in the forest, taking an oath before a crucifix. This particular scene and the characters are given a broader meaning here, and express the nation’s determination, dedication and faith. The drawings in the series, radiating deep patriotic feeling and elevating historic events to symbolic heights, were extremely influential. Heliorelief reproductions of the drawings on cardboard were produced by the photographer Awit Szubert (1837–1919) for the Krakow Society of Lovers of Art.

Text author Rūta Janonienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album RES PUBLICA (2018). Compiler and author Rūta Janonienė

The Podolian-born artist Artur Grottger (1837–1867), who made probably the most famous series of prints about the 1863 insurrection, did not take part in it personally. From 1854–1865, he lived in Vienna and worked as an illustrator. He was not indifferent to the insurrection, however, and even intended to join the insurgents. He must have inherited his artist’s talent and the stance of an active supporter of the cause of national liberation from his father, who was also an artist and had participated in the 1831 uprising. Grottger’s home in Vienna became a refuge for rebels fleeing abroad, causing the Austrian government to persecute the artist. He was forced to leave the Austrian capital and look for work on various estates in Galicia; he travelled to Italy and France with the support of his patrons. He created two series of drawings in black and white chalk on cardboard, called ‘Poland’ (1863) and ‘Lithuania’ (1864–1866). The latter series of six drawings was shown in Lviv and Krakow, and in 1867 it was shown at the Paris International Exposition. The original drawings are now in the National Museum in Krakow. The main characters in the ‘Lithuania’ series are a family of peasant foresters who live in a shack in a forest and join the uprising. The composition The oath shows the rebels at night, deep in the forest, taking an oath before a crucifix. This particular scene and the characters are given a broader meaning here, and express the nation’s determination, dedication and faith. The drawings in the series, radiating deep patriotic feeling and elevating historic events to symbolic heights, were extremely influential. Heliorelief reproductions of the drawings on cardboard were produced by the photographer Awit Szubert (1837–1919) for the Krakow Society of Lovers of Art.

Text author Rūta Janonienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album RES PUBLICA (2018). Compiler and author Rūta Janonienė