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Portrait of Alfred II Potocki

Aleksander Raczynski

Basic information

ID: Ж-1866
Author: Aleksander Raczynski
Name: Portrait of Alfred II Potocki
Technique: oil painting
Material: duplicated canvas oil
Dimensions (height x width, cm): 141 x 97

Additionally

Type: painting
Genre: portraiture
Plot: Portrait
Provenance: Received from Lviv National Casino
Exposition: Potocki Palace

Information about author

Author: Aleksander Raczynski
Artist's lifetime: 1822–1889
Country: Austro-Hungarian Empire
Biography: Aleksander Raczynski (1822–1889) was a Polish portrait painter. He received his first art lessons in his hometown from Jan Maszkowski. After 1846, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. Later, he attended the School of Fine Arts in Paris. Raczynski created numerous humorous drawings and caricatures that reflected artistic community life during his student years. They are now preserved in the collection of the Ossolineum in Wroclaw. In 1857, the artist travelled to Italy, and upon his return, he permanently settled in Lviv and opened a portrait studio. Among the most famous people portrayed by Raczynski were Wincenty Pol, Aleksander Fredro, Jozef Dwernicki, Maciej Rybinski, and Hryhorii Yakhymovych. He often painted from photographs. Raczynski's friend Artur Grottger created landscape backgrounds for many of the artist's portraits. Aleksander Raczynski was one of the Lviv Fine Art Appreciation Society founders, a member of its artistic commission, and the director of the Technical Academy. His works can be seen in the Lviv National Art Gallery and the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanow.

Object description

Count Alfred II Jozef Potocki was a prominent politician of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a knight of the Orders of the Iron Crown, the Golden Fleece, and Saint Stephen. He served as the imperial governor of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria from 1875 to 1883. The portrait was added to the Gallery's collection over 80 years ago. Due to a mistaken attribution, it was believed to be a portrait of Aleksander Raczynski created by Leopold Horowitz. It was only recently discovered that Raczynski had copied Horowitz's painting, and the portrait depicts Alfred II Jozef Potocki. The official restoration of the depicted man's true identity took place in 2020, and in early 2021, the time-damaged artwork was handed over to restorers. The muted background of the canvas in dark brown tones does not distract the viewer from the count's figure. He is positioned at the centre, almost in full height. The emotional state of the portrayed is calm and balanced. The author skilfully captures the aristocratic features of Alfred II – a proud posture, a masculine yet refined jawline framed by a noble grey beard and moustache. The count stands with his torso towards the viewer, but his head is turned to the right, and his gaze is directed into the distance. The man's attire is elegant and restrained, with a white starched collar. Against the backdrop of dark clothing, only the golden chain of a pocket watch and a gold ring on his right hand, which he holds the fur coat with, catch the light.

Portrayed person