Portrait of Fryderyk Chopin (1810–1849)

The sitter is shown from the chest upward, his dark hair neatly arranged and his expression composed yet neutral. Dressed in a black jacket over a white shirt, Chopin is positioned against a subdued brown backdrop, emphasizing his presence without narrative embellishment and reflecting the conventions of formal portraiture of the era.

Stattler employs oil paint to render subtle variations of light across the fabric and skin, creating a tactile sense of depth. The brushwork is restrained, focusing on the smooth modeling of facial features while allowing the texture of the jacket to suggest the weight of the material. The muted palette reinforces the portrait’s sober tone.

Completed shortly after Chopin’s death, the painting entered the Polish public sphere and eventually was acquired by the National Museum in Kraków. Its presence in the museum’s holdings underscores the ongoing interest in visual representations of the composer and provides a tangible link between 19th‑century artistic practice and national cultural memory.