Tormented sea with two fishing boats in the foreground menaced by a storm drawing the crafts close to the rocks in the right. We can find a parallel to Rembrandt's only seascape the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, although It is hard to determine whether the author known this painting. As in Rembrandt's work, an illustration to the story described in the in the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, it depicts people succumbed to the violence and upheaval of nature.
Sea storm by Eduard Hildebrandt, 1852, Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie (MNW)
Short history of art collecting in Poland
Among the first significant art collectors in Poland were monarchs from the Jagiellon and Vasa dynasty. The collection of the Jagiellon's consisted mainly of art created in German circle with increasing number of Italian and Netherlandish works. The notable examples include Portrait of Sigismund I by Hans Süß von Kulmbach (c. 1511/1518), Cameo with bust of Bona Sforza, Sigismund's wife, by Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio (c. 1540) and Wawel Arrases, a collection of 365 tapestries commissioned in Flanders by Sigismund II Augustus (created 1550-1565).
The monarchs from elective Vasa dynasty followed the same patterns. Sigismund III Vasa commissioned paintings in Venice from Palma Giovane, his son and successor Ladislaus Vasa acquired paintings in Flanders - Conversion of St. Paul, Madonna in Floral Wreath and Nature and Her Followers or Nature Adorning the Three Graces by Rubens are quoted as belonging to his collection, while his brother John Casimir was a great admirer of Dutch art and employed Giovanni Francesco Rossi, a Roman Baroque sculptor, at his court.
Monarchs from Saxon dynasty assembled their collections in Dresden. It was Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski, elected in 1764, who attempted to create a diversified national collection of art. An important part of his collection found its way to the Dulwich Picture Gallery.
Example from the Royal court was followed by nobles. Princely families of Lubomirski, Radziwiłł, Czartoryski, Tarnowski and Sapieha become significant art collectors.
The website presents the most distinguished works of art preserved in Poland. The history of the country, marked by invasions and wars, left very less of the original collections of art. Although not many works by "great names" preserved, the country collections shows great variety of European and Polish art.
The monarchs from elective Vasa dynasty followed the same patterns. Sigismund III Vasa commissioned paintings in Venice from Palma Giovane, his son and successor Ladislaus Vasa acquired paintings in Flanders - Conversion of St. Paul, Madonna in Floral Wreath and Nature and Her Followers or Nature Adorning the Three Graces by Rubens are quoted as belonging to his collection, while his brother John Casimir was a great admirer of Dutch art and employed Giovanni Francesco Rossi, a Roman Baroque sculptor, at his court.
Monarchs from Saxon dynasty assembled their collections in Dresden. It was Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski, elected in 1764, who attempted to create a diversified national collection of art. An important part of his collection found its way to the Dulwich Picture Gallery.
Example from the Royal court was followed by nobles. Princely families of Lubomirski, Radziwiłł, Czartoryski, Tarnowski and Sapieha become significant art collectors.
The website presents the most distinguished works of art preserved in Poland. The history of the country, marked by invasions and wars, left very less of the original collections of art. Although not many works by "great names" preserved, the country collections shows great variety of European and Polish art.