Amazon was painted by Napoleon Iłłakowicz in 1852.

Where can I see Amazon?

Amazon is held by National Museum in Kraków.

Can I buy a print of Amazon?

Museum-quality prints of Amazon are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Amazon

Napoleon Iłłakowicz , 1852

Amazon is an oil painting by Napoleon Iłłakowicz. It dates from 1852 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1852, *Amazon* is an oil painting by Napoleon Iłłakowicz, a painter of Lithuanian‑Polish heritage. The work is a portrait that resides in the National Museum in Kraków. It presents a formally dressed woman, rendered with restrained colors that emphasize her dark attire against a muted backdrop, conveying a quiet sense of poise.

Subject & Meaning

The figure is a woman seated at a table, wearing a black jacket, hat, and a red bow tie, while holding a gold‑tipped cane in her right hand. The composition suggests a dignified, perhaps aristocratic, presence, with the cane and formal dress indicating status and composure within a controlled interior setting.

Technique & Style

Iłłakowicz employs a limited palette, allowing the dark clothing to dominate the visual field while the surrounding tones remain soft and subdued. The brushwork is smooth, emphasizing the texture of fabrics and the sheen of the cane’s tip, and the overall handling reflects mid‑19th‑century portrait conventions that favor subtle elegance over dramatic contrast.

History & Provenance

Born in 1811 to a Samogitian noble family, Iłłakowicz studied under Jan Rustem at Vilnius University before his involvement in the November Uprising and subsequent exile to France. *Amazon* entered the National Museum in Kraków’s collection, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of 19th‑century portraiture.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Napoleon Iłłakowicz

Napoleon Iłłakowicz (lit: Napoleonas Ylakavičius, 2 December 1811 – 7 November 1861) was a Lithuanian-Polish painter and decorator.

Museum

National Museum in Kraków

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