3-068-871 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Portrait of Mikolaj Wybranowski, between 1710-1720. The vivid red of the furry drapery of the mantle is nicely confronted with the rhythmic rows of karacena armour plates expressed in cool colours. The karacena was a typically Polish type of armour, which was supposed to imitate ancient armour, and achieved its most significant popularity during the reign of King Jan III Sobieski. Wybranowski was a cavalry officer in the unit of Prince Aleksander Sobieski, with whom he took part in the siege of Vienna in 1683. There, he was supposedly distinguished by outstanding valour and contributed to the capture of the Turkish flag of Prophet Muhammad, later sent by Sobieski to the sanctuary in Loreto. Tomasz Zaucha