A poignant historical etching by Jan Matejko, depicting the poet Jan Kochanowski mourning his daughter, Urszula, amidst the quiet details of a Renaissance interior.

This etching depicts the Polish Renaissance poet Jan Kochanowski in a moment of profound personal grief, mourning his young daughter, Urszula. The composition captures the poet leaning over the child, who lies in a small casket. Matejko, known for his focus on Polish history, here turns his attention to a private, domestic tragedy that inspired one of the most famous cycles of Polish literature, the 'Laments'.

The visual narrative relies on the contrast between the stillness of the child and the expressive, weary posture of the father. The surrounding environment is filled with period-specific details: a lute rests near the casket, referencing the poet's musical and literary craft, while a candle provides a singular light source that casts long shadows across the room. In the background, a religious icon is visible, adding a layer of spiritual contemplation to the scene. The etching technique allows for a high degree of precision in the rendering of textures, from the fabric of the clothing to the wood grain of the furniture.

Matejko manages to convey the weight of loss through the physical interaction between the figures. The poet's hands are positioned with care, suggesting a final, desperate attempt to hold onto the child. This work is a reproduction of an earlier oil painting by the artist, translated into the medium of print. It reflects the nineteenth-century interest in historical figures and the romanticisation of their personal lives. The composition is balanced, drawing the eye directly to the centre where the father and daughter meet. The technical execution of the lines creates a sense of depth and volume, typical of the academic tradition in which Matejko was trained. This print offers a window into the intersection of Polish literary history and the visual arts of the late nineteenth century.