The portraits collected for this exhibition reflect various styles characteristic for different epochs. The portrait of Elżbieta, the Princess Lubomirska, displays the Rococo style while classicist harmony and elegance characterise the likeness of Petronela Wodzicka. Alongside the portraits of aristocrats are images of rural inhabitants, the elderly and women painted by Piotr Michałowski. The Biedermeier style is represented by works of L. Loeffler and A. Rejchan and include portraits of Polish intellectuals, paintings and sculptures depicting politicians, novelists and poets, and the first female nude in Polish painting. Enchanting works by Jacek Malczewski and Olga Boznańska close this cycle. The next room focuses on religious painting. The earliest paintings by Szymon Czechowicz date back to about mid-18th century, yet and their style is Baroque. Among the works from the second half of the 19th century, one that stands out is ‘The Descent from the Cross’ by Józef Unierzyński, a student of Jan Matejko, and a naturalistic sketch by Leon Wyczółkowski depicting the head of Christ. The last room displays historical paintings with two themes visible. The first one refers to the history of Poland, the rule of the Piasts, Jagiellons and elective kings. The second is about the time of bondage filled with the hope of regaining independence when art became a ‘weapon in the fight’ to preserve the national identity. It includes scenes of the Kościuszko Uprising, Napoleonic Wars, and the January Uprising and testimonies to the partitioners' repressions. Even though not all works are technically perfect, they constitute a valuable record of historical events.