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Secondary sourcePainting1827

Portrait of Tadeusz Kościuszko

Marcin Jabłoński · 1827

An 1827 oil portrait of Tadeusz Kościuszko painted a decade after his death, showing him in military dress with medals.

This posthumous 1827 portrait depicts Kościuszko in military uniform, reflecting his status as a national hero.

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Oil portrait of a man with dark hair and a pale complexion, wearing a dark military-style coat with red collar and lapels, gold epaulettes with cord fringe, a black sash, a cross decoration, and a large oval medal. Dark brown background.
Marcin Jabłoński, Tadeusz Kościuszko, 1827. Private collection.

About this source

What it is

This oil painting by Marcin Jabłoński, dated 1827, shows Tadeusz Kościuszko wearing a dark military coat with gold epaulettes, a sash, and medals. It is held in a private collection and measures roughly 55.5 by 47.5 centimeters.

Why it matters

Painted ten years after Kościuszko's death, this portrait was not made from life but reflects how he was remembered and honored in Poland in the early 19th century. The military dress and decorations emphasize his identity as a soldier and national hero rather than capturing an exact likeness.

Look closer

  • Since the painter never met Kościuszko in this period, what sources might he have used to create the likeness?
  • Why might the artist choose to show medals and military dress so prominently?
  • What does a posthumous portrait tell us about how a person is remembered, compared to one painted from life?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Tadeusz Kościuszko on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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